The Texas A&M Health Science Center

College of Medicine

Dean’s Report
2005

College of Medicine
The Texas A&M Health Science Center
147 Joe H. Reynolds Medical Building n College Station, Texas 77843-1114
Phone: 979 / 845-3431 n Fax: 979 / 847-8663
Web page: http://medicine.tamhsc.edu
 A D M I S S I O N S

Admission to The Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine is competitive. We consider individuals for enroll-
ment who have completed at least 90 hours of their undergraduate course work at a fully accredited college or university
M I S S I O N S T A T E M E N T in the United States or its territories. By state mandate, enrollment of individuals who are residents of states other than
Texas may not exceed 10 percent.

The Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine is dedicated to the education of humane and
highly skilled physicians and to the development of knowledge in the biomedical and clinical sciences. To
achieve its mission, the college utilizes the varied resources of The Texas A&M University System, Scott
& White Memorial Hospital and Clinic, the Central Texas Veterans Health Care System, Darnall Army
Community Hospital, Driscoll Children’s Hospital, CHRISTUS Spohn Hospital, John Peter Smith Hospital
and physicians in private practice. In order to improve the quality and efficacy of health and medical care
through its programs of medical education and research, the College of Medicine will continue:
We are committed to improving the health of Texans through the integrated education of humane and highly skilled physi-
cians and the development of knowledge in the biomedical and clinical sciences. We also believe in the important role of
diversity in the training of future medical professionals, which enhances their ability to provide care to communities across
a broad range of racial and ethnic groups. These characteristics of the college form the philosophy behind our admissions
process and our desire to admit students whose goals and attitudes are consistent with our mission.
Applicants, therefore, must demonstrate better than average ability to master a challenging educational experience. In
addition to academic ability, successful applicants must exhibit the personal qualities necessary to interact with others
in an effective and personable manner. Pre-medical advisors play an important role in helping the admissions committee
assess these attributes and qualities. Prospective applicants are urged to get to know their advisors early in their under-
graduate education.

n To maintain a high-quality medical education program, which graduates physicians prepared to enter
graduate study in any medical specialty, including primary care. The medical education program includes a
strong emphasis on the humanistic and ethical aspects of medicine.
n To develop programs of research in selected areas of biomedical and clinical science; and to join in col-
laborative programs with other elements of The Texas A&M University System through which the knowledge
Application Information
The Texas Medical and Dental Schools Application Service (TMDSAS) is a centralized application processing service for ap-
plicants to first-year entering classes at participating medical schools. TMDSAS provides one standardized form online at:
http://www.utsystem.edu/tmdsas/. The application for admission can be submitted as early as May 1. The TMDSAS applica-
tion fee is $55; the fee will increase $10 with each school selected. The fee schedule is included with the electronic version
of the application. All supporting documents are to be mailed to: TMDSAS, 702 Colorado, Suite 6.400, Austin, Texas 78701.
Contact TMDSAS at 512/499-4785 or email TMDSAS@utsystem.edu.

and skills of many disciplines can be utilized to improve the health and medical care of specific segments of
the population.
n To educate biomedical scientists to conduct research in areas that will form the foundation for advances
in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of disease.
Applicants must also submit the Secondary Admission Application, which is located on the College of Medicine website.
The application is to be filled out and submitted by electronic transmission, and the application fee is $45 (non-refund-
able). Applicants will not be considered for further evaluation until the primary and secondary applications have been
properly completed, appropriate MCAT scores released and letters of evaluation submitted.
Information on letters of evaluation, application screening, personal interviews, undergraduate course requirements and
the Medical College Admission Test can be located on the College of Medicine Admissions webpage.

College of Medicine Admissions Resources

Admissions Office: http://medicine.tamhsc.edu/admissions/index.htm

Vision 6
Application Timeline: http://medicine.tamhsc.edu/admissions/timeline.htm

Service 9 Admissions FAQ: http://medicine.tamhsc.edu/admissions/faq.htm

Alumni 10
Editor: Summer L. Morgan
Research 14 Design: EDGE Creative Strategies If you have questions concerning admissions, please address them to: The Texas A&M Health Science Center College of
Outreach 16 Production: HSC Communications Medicine, Assistant Dean for Admissions, 159 Reynolds Medical Building, College Station, TX 77843-1114. Contact the
Development 19 Photography: Scott Goldsmith, Gary Hansen, Assistant Dean for Admissions at 979/845-7743 or email admissions@medicine.tamhsc.edu.
Glen Johnson, Michael Kellett,
Facts and Figures 20 Jim LaCombe, Philip Schertz
 F R O M T H E D E A N

I am thrilled to present the inaugural Dean’s Report

from the College of Medicine of The Texas A&M Health
Science Center. This is my opportunity to inform friends
of the college of our successes and future plans. As I
rapidly approach my third anniversary here, I must share
with you that it has been a privilege to serve as dean, and
has been the most satisfying experience of my professional
career. We have made dramatic progress in education,
research and community outreach, with more changes
on the horizon. This letter will highlight many of those
developments and provide a snapshot of our future.
One of the major successes of the past three years
was the creation of a five-year strategic plan that outlines
The White Coat Ceremony for the Class of 2009
marked the 28th class of students to enter the College
of Medicine. Eighty-one entering medical students took
part in the time-honored tradition of receiving a white
coat to signify the beginning of their medical training.
Kenneth M. Baker, M.D., Professor and Director of the
Division of Molecular Cardiology and the Mayborn
Chair in Cardiovascular Research, was named the new
Chair of the American Heart Association’s National Re-
search Committee, effective July 2005. Dr. Baker has also
been appointed to the National Board of Directors and
to the Science Advisory and Coordinating Committee
of the American Heart Association.
College of Medicine student Amit Nanavati received the
prestigious 2005 Leadership Award from the American
Medical Association (AMA) Foundation in March. Nana-
vati, a third-year student from Houston, accepted the
award at a ceremony in Washington D.C. while attend-
ing the AMA’s National Advocacy Conference.
Page 2.
the future direction of the college. The overarching goals of the plan are: (1) to
maintain the focus on personalized educational experience for medical and gradu-
ate students as we expand class size and implement curricular reform; (2) to build
signature research and clinical programs in partnership with our sister components
of the Health Science Center, Texas A&M University and our principal clinical part-
ners Scott & White and the Central Texas Veterans Health Care System; and (3) to
reaffirm our land grant heritage of community outreach and service.
The success of our students defines who we are as a college. As we implement
curricular reform to accommodate class expansion, we are mindful of the importance
of continuing to put our students first and maintaining the personalized educational
experience that makes us unique. Through curricular reform, we will provide our
students with more clinical training options and develop innovative clinical tracks.
Our current research strengths continue to expand in the areas of neuroscience,
cell biology, cardiovascular/intergrative biology, cancer and infectious disease. To
further build signature research programs, we have reorganized our basic science
departments into four interdisciplinary departments. This reorganization will pro-
mote increased collaboration with clinical departments, help fulfill a strong insti-
tutional commitment to an interdisciplinary environment and attract new faculty.
The four interdisciplinary departments include: Molecular and Cellular Medicine;
Microbial and Molecular Pathogenesis; Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeu-
tics; and Systems Biology and Translational Medicine.
Our commitment to build our research enterprise is reflected through our recent
Faculty Recruitment Initiative. We are in the process of hiring new faculty members
this year and are building resources necessary to hire 30 additional faculty members
over the next seven years. I am very excited about attracting new researchers to build
on the strengths of our college and continuing to improve our research enterprise.
We are also committed to developing a strong clinical and translational research pro-
gram at our Temple campus as is evidenced by our recent recruitment of physician-
scientist chairs in Medicine, Surgery and Psychiatry.
Another key component of our strategic plan involves expansion of community
partnerships. This past year we formed a community partnership with the Prairie
View A&M University Undergraduate Medical Academy and admitted 18 students
in the inaugural year of the program. This unique partnership creates an innovative
approach to recruiting underrepresented students to the field of medicine. Under
our existing Partnership for Primary Care program and the Joint Admission Medical
Program, we continue to maintain our commitment to recruit students from rural
and underserved areas of Texas.
These are just a few highlights of the progressive initiatives we are implementing
at the College of Medicine. I look forward to updating you on our progress each year
through these reports as we strive to fulfill our vision to make our college among the
best in the nation.
CHRISTOPHER C. COLENDA, M.D., M.P.H.
THE JEAN AND THOMAS MCMULLIN DEAN OF MEDICINE
 C hr i s to p her C . C o l enda , M . D . , M . P . H .
T he J ean and T homa s M c M u l l i n D ean of M ed i c i ne

Page 3.
 We are…knowing this is where you belong…believing your work
has a higher purpose…taking care of our neighbors…investing in
something lasting and worthwhile. We are passion and healing and
dreams and vision.

Farida Sohrabji, Ph.D.

Associate Professor, Neuroscience
and Experimental Therapeutics

Page 4.
 The College of Medicine of The Texas A&M Health Science Center
may be the youngest and the smallest medical school in the state,
but as our students, faculty, staff, alumni and donors have found,
it is what is on the inside that counts.

The College of Medicine is distinctive from any other

medical school in the country in ways that might not
be obvious at first glance. But when you stop to take a
closer look, we are different in all the ways that matter
most. We see things in a unique light and do things in
ways you might not expect.
All medical schools award M.D. degrees and employ
faculty. We do more.
We educate outstanding, compassionate future phy-
sicians that go into all fields of medicine, ranging from
pediatrics to neurosurgery. We hire exceptional faculty
Page 5.
 vision Better teaching,
The Cadaver Memorial Service is an annual event that
allows first-year gross anatomy students to express
their appreciation for the individuals who donated their
bodies to science. “Gross anatomy definitely is very im-
portant to our education here,” student Angie Wu says.
“There’s no substitute for learning about the body first-
hand and our cadavers allow us to do that.”
The 10th Annual Graduate Student Organization
(GSO) Symposium was held in April and included stu-
dents and post-doctoral fellows from all Health Science
Center components. There were more than three times
as many participants this year than last (74 poster and
oral presentations). Additionally, a large number of the
residents from the Brazos Family Medicine Residency
program participated, which was another first in the his-
tory of the event.
Page 6.
better research, better neighbors
that are not only progressive researchers, but superior teachers that care about their
students. Our students, faculty and staff spend countless hours donating their time to
better the lives of their neighbors, working on projects as varied as providing immu-
nizations and health screenings for children, fundraising for tsunami humanitarian
relief and caring for hurricane evacuees in makeshift emergency shelters. When we
look toward the future, we do not only think about graduating more students, hiring
more faculty and increasing research dollars. Rather, we think about how to make the
College of Medicine a better place to study, to work, to serve and to grow.
We are…knowing this is where you belong…believing your work has a higher
purpose…taking care of our neighbors…investing in something lasting and worth-
while. We are passion and healing and dreams and vision.
Commitment to Education
Since we opened our doors in 1977 to the charter class of 32 students, we have
awarded just under 1,200 M.D. degrees. After completing their residencies, many of
our graduates return to practice medicine in Texas, where there is still a great need
for physicians. Our graduates serve in 80 Texas counties, or 32 percent of all coun-
ties in the state, with the majority settling in Bell, Harris, Dallas and Brazos coun-
ties. Of these physicians, approximately half of those practice primary care, which
includes Family Medicine, Internal Medicine, Pediatrics and Obstetrics/Gynecology.
The other 50 percent have gone on to successful careers in anesthesiology, emergency
medicine, neurology, psychiatry, radiology, surgery and many other specialty fields.
A large part of the success of our students is due to the exceptional educators on
our faculty. One such exemplary faculty member is Gary C. McCord, M.D., Assistant
Dean for Student Affairs and Associate Professor in both Neuroscience and Experi-
mental Therapeutics and Radiology. When it comes to teaching, a professor is judged
most critically by his or her students. As a result, the fact that Dr. McCord was named
“Best Lecturer” by our students during 11 out of the last 12 years speaks volumes. He
has also received numerous teaching awards on the college and university level, but
this spring, Dr. McCord was named a 2005 Piper Professor by the prestigious Minnie
Stevens Piper Foundation.
Dr. McCord teaches gross anatomy and neuroscience to first-year medical stu-
dents, and offers an anatomy elective for second-year students prior to their
licensing exam. He believes the most important aspect of teaching is relevance
— or showing students how the basic science knowledge they learn in their first
two years of medical school will help them in their careers as physicians. And he
should know. In addition to his teaching and administrative duties, he is a prac-
ticing diagnostic radiologist at the Burleson-St. Joseph Health Center in Caldwell
and Texas A&M’s Beutel Health Center.
“My work as a radiologist gives me a good and current idea of what the students
need to learn on a daily basis,” Dr. McCord says. “It’s not just about telling them the
details, but really teaching them the bigger concepts. If the students understand the
 N i ta s ha D . T hom p s on
E l Pa s o , T e x a s

F i r s t Y ear M ed i ca l St u dent

Under g rad u ate D e g ree : B i o l o g y

T he Un i v er s i ty of T e x a s at A u s t i n

“From the day I arrived here for my admissions interview, everyone made me feel so comfortable
that I knew it was the perfect fit. The class size is smaller, so the students really have the opportunity to get to know each other.
The faculty and staff are also so welcoming, and it’s great that the professors can call us by name. We truly feel like a family.”

Page 7.
 A l an R . P arr i s h , P h . D .
C o l l e g e Stat i on , T e x a s

A s s oc i ate Profe s s or , Sy s tem s b i o l o g y and tran s l at i ona l med i c i ne

Ph . D . D e g ree : T o x i co l o g y
T e x a s A & M Un i v er s i ty

“I enjoy working at the College of Medicine because it provides the opportunity to pursue research
excellence in an environment that encourages collegiality. The faculty, staff and students have
strong relationships that extend outside the classroom and laboratories.”

Page 8.
 Working toward the service
improved well-being of others

relevance of what I am teaching them and they see how they will use the information
in the future, they will put in that extra effort to learn it.”

Advancing Health Through Biomedical Research

Emerging signature research programs at the College of Medicine cover a broad
range of disciplines and faculty interests. The six major programs of research at the
college are: Biochemistry and Structural Biology, Cancer, Cardiovascular/Integrative
Biology, Cell and Molecular Biology, Microbial and Molecular Pathogenesis and Neu-
This spring, Gary C. McCord, M.D. was named a 2005
rosciences. Within these six programs, faculty aim to advance health through in- Piper Professor by the prestigious Minnie Stevens Pip-
vestigations on everything from cancerous tumors, alcoholism and Lyme disease to er Foundation. The Piper Foundation gives 15 annual
cardiac cell growth, glaucoma and hormone replacement therapy. awards of $5,000 to professors for superior teaching at
the college level, and has been recognizing outstanding
The Biochemistry and Structural Biology research group explores protein synthe-
teaching since 1958. Selections are made on the basis
sis and functional macromolecule assembly, and utilizes state-of-the-art biophysical of nominations submitted by each college or university
technologies to define mechanisms for cellular protein folding and trafficking. A in the state.
program emerging in excellence, the Cancer research group strives to integrate the
breadth of cancer research from basic biology and studies on the origin of cancer with
the therapeutic treatment of the disease. Researchers utilize molecular approaches to
reveal the pathogenesis of cancer, including oncogene expression and angiogenesis.
The Cardiovascular/Integrative Biology research group focuses on the discovery
of molecular and cellular mechanisms that control complex physiological processes.
Strong emphasis is placed upon the cardiovascular system, including the regulation
of vascular tone and remodeling, angiogenesis and cardiac function. Diseases such
as diabetes, hypertension, atherosclerosis, heart failure and cardiac hypertrophy are
also highlighted. Individual research programs in the Cell and Molecular Biology
research group focus on understanding basic cellular mechanisms (i.e., DNA replica-
tion, transcription and protein sorting) and molecules that control complex regula- “Dr. McCord is truly a gifted educator who embodies
tory pathways (signal transduction, gene regulation, epigenetics, and development the ideals and the quality aspects of teaching. He has the
and differentiation). ability to captivate his student audiences and impart to
them necessary facts while, most importantly, underlining
A majority of the research in the Microbial and Molecular Pathogenesis group the clinical relevance of the information. His outstanding
focuses on the relationships between pathogens and hosts. Considerable emphasis lectures, encouraging words, and positive attitude have
is also placed on the actual infectious agents, including host recognition and inva- won him the respect and affection of all his students.
He is a beloved class friend who motivates us to be bet-
sion, as well as the mechanism of toxin action. The Neurosciences research group ter students and inspires us to ultimately become great
embraces diverse interests in the central and peripheral nervous systems including physicians.” – Anastacio Saenz, Class of 2008
gene expression, neurophysiology, neuropharmacology, neuroendocrinology and sig-
nal transduction. Faculty members contribute to research in the areas of alcohol and
drug abuse, circadian rhythms, neural development and neurodegeneration.
In addition to our signature research programs, College of Medicine faculty either
lead or are members of the following centers and institutes: Cardiovascular Research
Institute, Center for Health Systems and Design, Center for Microencapsulation and
Drug Delivery, Institute for Ocular Pharmacology and the J.L. Huffines Institute for
Sports Medicine and Human Performance.

Page 9.
 a l u m n i Compassionate, talented former students
The College of Medicine has awarded just under 1,200
M.D. degrees since 1981. Our graduates serve in 80
Texas counties and approximately half of those practice
primary care, which includes Family Medicine, Internal
Medicine, Pediatrics and Obstetrics/Gynecology. The
other 50 percent have gone on to successful careers in
anesthesiology, emergency medicine, neurology, psychia-
try, radiology, surgery and many other specialty fields.
Page 10.
making a difference
College of Medicine former students
hail from all over the state, nation and world. As a result, their backgrounds,
interests and careers are just as diverse as the places from which they come. The alumni
featured below represent just a few of our talented former students who have fulfilled their
dreams of becoming exceptional, compassionate physicians.
Claire M. Carman, M.D. ‘85
A member of the College of Medicine’s Class of 1985, Claire Carman, M.D., has
silenced many a critic along the way since her days as an undergraduate student at
Texas A&M University. After being told by various naysayers that she might not make
it through medical school, probably shouldn’t choose surgery as her career field and
might want to reconsider opening her own practice, Dr. Carman has proved them
wrong time and time again. Today, she is a successful breast reconstruction surgeon
and got her start at the College of Medicine.
“The best thing about attending the college was the low student to teacher ra-
tio,” Dr. Carman says. “The personal attention we got was great because you can
get so lost in medical school. But here, we were taught by attending physicians
rather than residents.”
After commencement, she completed her medical training in Boston and
moved to the Norfolk-Virginia Beach area with her husband, who is in the mili-
tary. She established her solo practice, Breast Care Specialists, and sees 50 to 60
women per day.
“I really became interested in this field during my third year surgery clerkship
under Dr. (Richard) Symmonds at Scott & White,” Dr. Carman remembers. “I had
the chance to talk to and spend time with our patients and really enjoyed them. Years
later, I still found that I liked these same ladies and was drawn to them, so my work
is very fulfilling. I figured if I was going to do this, I wanted to be the best.”
William L. Rayburn, M.D. ‘83
No one would ever guess that Bill Rayburn, M.D., was accepted as an alternate
into medical school or that he poured concrete to help build the third deck of Texas
A&M’s famed football stadium, Kyle Field, in the late 1970s. Having also been an
Aggie undergraduate student, Dr. Rayburn began his medical training at the College
of Medicine in 1979.
“We were only the third class, so I remember the pressure my fellow classmates
and I felt to perform as well or better than the previous two classes,” Dr. Rayburn
says. “The College of Medicine was unique because of the small class size and the
enormous amount of faculty interaction.”
After completing his residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology at Scott & White
Hospital in Temple, Dr. Rayburn returned to College Station and joined the staff
at the Scott & White Clinic in its first year of existence. Today, he serves on the
 J . P . B ramha l l , M . D . ‘ 8 5
C o l l e g e Stat i on , T e x a s

O rtho p ed i c s u r g eon at C entra l T e x a s

S p ort s M ed i c i ne and O rtho p ed i c s

D i rector of S p ort s M ed i c i ne at T e x a s A & M and team p hy s i c i an

for a l l ath l et i c s team s at the u n i v er s i ty

“From the very beginning of the medical school interview process, it was clear that A&M was a very special place.
They took a more intimate approach than the larger schools and offered more opportunities because of the smaller class size.”

Page 11.
 a l u m n i Compassionate, talented former students
The College of Medicine is hosting a 25th Reunion for
the charter Class of 1981, July 28-29, 2006 in conjunc-
tion with the White Coat Ceremony to welcome the
incoming class of medical students. This exciting event
will provide the Class of 1981 an opportunity to catch
up with friends and faculty, as well as celebrate with the
Class of 2010 as they begin their medical education
journey. More information about the Class of 1981 25th
Reunion can be found at www.medicine.tamhsc.edu.
Page 12.
making a difference
Scott & White Board of Directors and has held the post of Medical Director for the
College Station clinic for the last six years. Administrative duties take up approxi-
mately 50 percent of his time, but Dr. Rayburn still finds the time to deliver babies
(more than 2,500 over the past 18 years), perform pelvic reconstructive surgery
and collaborate on research projects. He also serves as an associate professor of
OB/GYN for the College of Medicine.
“It is gratifying to hear a doctor say they chose the field of OB/GYN because they
spent time with you, so teaching is a big part of what I do,” Dr. Rayburn explains.
“I also like the challenges of administration and serving in various leadership roles,
but I most enjoy being in the exam room and interacting with patients. That’s what I
come to work for.”
Becky Mouser, M.D. ‘84
Many people assume the life of a physician is glamorous. But for pediatrician
Becky Mouser, M.D., being a doctor means working the medical trenches, start-
ing at 7:30 a.m. and treating 34 children every day. One of 40 pediatricians at the
Austin Regional Clinic, Dr. Mouser sees patients ranging from newborns to 18-year
olds for everything from checkups and illnesses to stitches and injuries. She also
served on the clinic’s board for seven years and volunteers at an underserved health
clinic every other month.
“Being a pediatrician is never boring, and there’s lots of variety,” Dr. Mouser laughs.
“After being in the field for 18 years, I am now caring for the children of my former
patients!”
So what made her choose pediatrics? As a student at the College of Medicine, Dr.
Mouser completed her pediatrics clerkship rotation at Scott & White during the viral
season. She remembers the hospital was so busy that she and her fellow classmates
had the opportunity to really get involved and work with patients. From then on, she
was hooked.
Having also attended Texas A&M University during her undergraduate studies,
Dr. Mouser found the College of Medicine to be a natural fit when deciding which
medical school to attend.
“I knew if A&M had a medical school, they would do it well,” Dr. Mouser
remembers. “The best things about attending the college were the people, the
atmosphere and the opportunity to form close relationships. You simply could
not be anonymous or get lost in the shuffle because your classmates and the
faculty were involved on such a personal level. Everybody talks about the Aggie
Network, but I can say from experience that the spirit of A&M also overflows to
the medical school.”
J.P. Bramhall, M.D. ‘85
Having played baseball from 1978 to 1981 for Texas A&M University, J.P. Bram-
hall, M.D., understands the needs of elite athletes and the level of care they require.
After receiving his M.D. from the College of Medicine in 1985, Dr. Bramhall did
his residency training in orthopedic surgery at John Peter Smith in Fort Worth. He Dr. Sydney Jaffe, a 1984 College of Medicine graduate,
also completed a sports medicine fellowship in Birmingham, Alabama under Dr. was killed September 30, 2004 while riding her bicycle
in Yuma, Arizona. Dr. Jaffe, 46, was a staff neurologist at
Jim Andrews, one of the world’s renowned orthopedic specialists. Yuma Regional Medical Center. She was the daughter of
These days, Dr. Bramhall has a successful career as an orthopedic surgeon at Cen- Audrey Jaffe and the late Richard, sister of Deborah Jaffe
tral Texas Sports Medicine and Orthopedics in College Station, and works alongside and granddaughter of Rose Lipman. Graveside services
were held October 3, 2004 at the Adath Jeshurun Cem-
fellow College of Medicine graduate Rick Seabolt, M.D. ‘96. Dr. Bramhall also serves etery in Philadelphia.
as Director of Sports Medicine at Texas A&M and team physician for all athletics
teams at the university. Both of these roles represent the fulfillment of a lifelong
dream — a dream he began to chase at the College of Medicine.
“From the very beginning of the medical school interview process, it was clear that
A&M was a very special place,” Dr. Bramhall says. “They took a more intimate ap-
proach than the larger schools and offered more opportunities because of the smaller
class size. It was great to be part of such a close-knit group of people because we
worked toward our goal of a medical education together. At the time I was a student,
the school was so young that we had our labs in the basement of the Teague building.
We also had to listen to the “activities” in the slaughterhouse of the Animal Industries
building during our lectures.”
In his orthopedic practice, Dr. Bramhall cares for all ages of athletes with sports
injuries, and specializes in knees and shoulders. He sees patients from 8 a.m. to
noon and conducts operations during the afternoons, Monday through Thursday
and all day Friday. Then, he arrives at the training room on campus by 4 p.m. every
day for clinics for injured A&M athletes. Dr. Bramhall keeps busy balancing his
duties as a physician to weekend warriors and elite athletes, but says every minute
is worth the effort.
Dr. Jaffe designated the College of Medicine as the
“My practice is rewarding because of the opportunity to watch people return to beneficiary of her employer’s profit-sharing plan. Her
their previous level of function,” Dr. Bramhall says. “My position at A&M is satisfying unrestricted gift is a great tribute to her loyalty to
because I get to work with young, healthy, motivated patients and it is a great respon- the college.
sibility to serve in that capacity. I have a passion for A&M athletics, so it is fantastic
to work in this atmosphere that has year-round demands with athletes who have a
tremendous will to succeed. I get to help them return to their hopes and dreams of
future athletic careers, and that’s pretty important.”

Page 13.
 research Asking questions,
making discoveries, finding cures
In 2000, Dr. Rice-Ficht was named to her current
position as director of the CMDD, for which she
recruited 46 faculty members and oversees nearly
$21.5 million in funding.
Dr. Kotrla and her team have been meeting with men-
tal health professionals at Darnall to assess the issues
soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan will face.
Page 14.
The College of Medicine has an impressive research portfolio, as our National
Institutes of Health (NIH) funding has grown from $3.6 million to $12 million in the
last decade, and total research expenditures have quadrupled in the past seven years.
The college’s NIH funding represents 72% of NIH expenditures at the Health Science
Center and 29% at the Texas A&M University System level.
College of Medicine faculty are making great strides toward taking their find-
ings from the bench to the bedside. The following researchers are four of our
outstanding faculty:
Allison C. Rice-Ficht, Ph.D.
Professor, Molecular and Cellular Medicine
Director, Center for Microencapsulation and Drug Delivery
For Dr. Allison C. Rice-Ficht, 2005 has been a good year. She received the Re-
gents Professor Award in January, an honor that is bestowed annually by the Texas
A&M Board of Regents in recognition of awardees’ exemplary contributions to their
colleges and the people of Texas. This spring, $3 million in federal funding was ear-
marked for the Vaccine Delivery Program, a project within the Center for Microen-
capsulation and Drug Delivery (CMDD). Dr. Rice-Ficht is the director of the CMDD,
which is a multidisciplinary faculty group that designs and tests delivery of vaccines
and pharmaceuticals.
Dr. Rice-Ficht has gained a strong international reputation in the areas of biochem-
istry, molecular biology and infectious diseases since joining the Texas A&M System
in 1984. As a teacher, Dr. Rice-Ficht developed innovative electronic resources for
teaching and was the course coordinator for genetics for eight years. She has also en-
gaged in a number of research initiatives focused on the molecular biology of disease,
including 34 national and state-level grants totaling approximately $21.5 million.
Kathryn J. Kotrla, M.D.
Associate Professor and Head, Psychiatry and Behavioral Science
Serving in a war zone is physically, mentally and emotionally demanding for
American military personnel deployed overseas. Soldiers in the 21st century are sur-
viving serious physical injuries in increasing numbers, but are sustaining traumatic
brain injuries and often struggle with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Dr. Kathryn J. Kotrla is the Department Head of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sci-
ence at the College of Medicine and Medical Director of Mental Health and Be-
havioral Medicine at the Central Texas Veterans Health Care System (CTVHCS). A
1988 graduate of the College of Medicine, Dr. Kotrla is leading the charge to im-
prove care for veterans when they leave the military. She and other CTVHCS faculty
are collaborating with Fort Hood’s Darnall Army Community Hospital in Killeen to
find out how to better assist soldiers returning from deployments overseas.
“At the national level, there is a lot of encouragement for the VA to work with
the Department of Defense to take care of injured soldiers when they come home,”
says Dr. Kotrla. “There must be close communication between Darnall and the VA
to make the transition of care as seamless as possible. When they leave the Army,
soldiers need to know they can continue to get help for mental and physical health
needs at the VA.”

John M. Quarles, Ph.D.

Professor and Head, Microbial and Molecular Pathogenesis
Associate Dean for Graduate Studies
Dr. John M. Quarles has worked for the past two and a half years with DelSite
Biotechnologies, Inc. and his veterinary colleagues to develop a nasal powder influ-
enza vaccine that is easier to administer and more immunogenic than currently avail-
able vaccines. DelSite was awarded a $6 million grant from the National Institute of
Allergy and Infectious Diseases last fall to continue preclinical work on the project,
$600,000 of which Quarles and his research colleagues will use to continue conduct-
ing preclinical tests.
Dr. Quarles’ research might seem timely, considering the nationwide shortage of
vaccines and the flu season just around the corner. But for Quarles, working with the Dr. Quarles and his colleagues have collaborated to cre-
flu is nothing new. He has been researching the virus for many years and now the ate an intranasally administered powder that creates a
chance to work on such a large project is rewarding. thin film of gel over the mucous membranes, allowing
“The pre-clinical phase of development first shows the vaccine works in animals. vaccines to be taken up more slowly by the body.

Then we start planning to conduct human trials. Bringing a new vaccine or drug to
the market can take years, but we are making significant strides. The NIH has been
pushing for academic entities and private companies to form partnerships, and that’s
exactly what we’ve done here,” Dr. Quarles says.

W. Roy Smythe, M.D.

Professor and Head, Surgery
Dr. W. Roy Smythe, College of Medicine Class of 1989, returned to his alma ma-
ter in 2004 to head up the Department of Surgery on the college’s clinical campus
at Scott & White. Dr. Smythe is active in the fight against mesothelioma, a rare and
deadly form of cancer in which cancerous cells are found in the mesothelium, a pro-
tective sac that covers most of the body’s internal organs.
The surgical procedure to extract the tumors and subsequent radiation therapy
are only performed by a few surgeons around the country. There is a relatively high
rate of recurrence and treatment can be very costly. As a result, Dr. Smythe started a
foundation that offers grants to offset costs for treatment for mesothelioma patients. Before his arrival in Temple, Dr. Smythe served as direc-
tor of the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center Mesothelioma
He is also in the process of planning a nationwide clinical trial with two major goals:
Multi-disciplinary Treatment and Research Program in
to treat patients and teach more surgeons about treatment for this deadly cancer. Houston.
“My goal is to cure every patient,” Dr. Smythe says. “But I believe this procedure
is worth the time and money to improve a patient’s quality of life, even if it only
prolongs his or her life for a while. My aim is to continue to constantly learn how to
improve the treatment of this disease.”

Page 15.
 outreach
The first 10 students to join the Gold Humanism Hon-
or Society from the Class of 2005 were Crista Benson,
Brad Burns, Rajesh Daftary, Marci Ernsberger, Christo-
pher Kneip, Jared Lund, Lakshmi Nair, Trichelle Newman,
Sarjita Shukla, and Rebecca Wiatrek. The students were
recognized for “demonstrated excellence in clinical care,
leadership, compassion and dedication to service.” Below,
Trichelle Newman pins Sarjita Shukla.
Sixteen students from The College of Medicine’s
Christian Medical Association headed for Nuevo
Laredo over Spring Break for a medical mission trip.
Medical students and physicians saw patients at their
four makeshift clinics, treated approximately 350
people over the course of two and a half days, and
performed histories and physicals, made diagnoses
and distributed medication. Below, Nikki Weidner
holds a child at the orphanage the group visited.
Page 16.
Increasing knowledge,
improving health, enriching life
Mahatma Ghandi once said that “service which is rendered without joy helps nei-
ther the servant nor the served.” And although he left medical school after one term,
Ghandi understood the meaning of service and the significance of reaching out to
others. Faculty, staff and students at the College of Medicine also strongly believe in
the importance of outreach, and give countless hours of their time and resources every
year to educating and bettering our neighbors.
Students Contribute to Hurricane Rita Relief
College of Medicine students had planned to spend the weekend of September
24 cramming for gross anatomy and basic block tests that had been scheduled for
the following Monday. Mother Nature had other ideas, however, as category 5 Hur-
ricane Rita bore down on the Texas and Louisiana coasts. With visions of the recent
devastation wrought by Hurricane Katrina, residents from Houston and Galveston
scrambled to evacuate the region, bringing approximately 10,000 evacuees to the
Bryan-College Station area. Many were seeking shelter from the storm, but there were
also hundreds of sick and elderly people that had been evacuated from hospitals,
clinics and nursing homes.
Approximately 90 students volunteered over the weekend at shelters across the
city, contributing more than 700 collective hours to the relief effort.
“This was a wonderful volunteer experience that proved truly rewarding and
it reaffirmed my commitment to become a doctor,” second-year medical student
Anastacio Saenz said. “It allowed me to put to use many of the skills that we have
learned in class including pertinent history-taking and effective communication
with patients. It also gave me the opportunity to learn disaster relief first hand. The
lessons I learned far surpassed anything I could have gained from a book or a mock
emergency situation.”
No one could have anticipated the impact that the students’ time spent with the
evacuees would have on them not only as future physicians, but as people. Their ex-
periences allowed them to help those in need and provided an invaluable opportunity
to receive hands-on training in a real-life disaster relief setting.
Magnolia Tea Educates Local Ladies on Women’s Issues
The College of Medicine hosted the first annual Magnolia Tea in May at the historic
Astin Mansion in Bryan. Featuring guest speaker Dr. Farida Sohrabji, an associate pro-
fessor in the Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics department, the purpose
of the tea was to educate ladies in the local community about hormone replacement
therapy issues.
Dr. Sohrabji explained to her captive audience the importance of proper timing
for hormone replacement therapy to maximize benefits and minimize danger. Her
message was that we must continue to seek out answers to questions about hormone
replacement therapy that are currently unresolved, and come to a better understand-
ing about which women are the best candidates for therapy.
More than 60 women from the Bryan-College Station community attended the
well-received event. Plans are currently underway for the 2006 Magnolia Tea, and
organizers are aiming to increase attendance for the next event.
Health Circus: Not Just Clowning Around
Currently, the state of Texas ranks 43rd in the nation in the number of fully immu- More than 60 women from the Bryan-College Station
nized preschool-aged children, and approximately 21 percent of the state’s children community attended the 2005 Magnolia Tea.
are uninsured. In the Brazos Valley, 67 percent of residents defer seeking medical care
because of the cost of healthcare, while Burleson, Grimes, and Leon counties have
been designated as Health Professional Shortage Areas.
In the spring of 2002, two students from the College of Medicine met with United
Way Brazos Valley representatives to discuss these healthcare issues and how students
could make a difference in the local community. As a result, Health Circus was born.
A traveling health fair designed to serve the surrounding counties of the Brazos Valley,
Health Circus is a student-organized partnership with healthcare providers to improve
the quality of life for children and adults by focusing on preventative medicine, insur-
ance coverage and a positive outlook on healthcare.
For the past three years, College of Medicine students have been working with Recognized for their contributions to the health of
great dedication to make this project possible. Hundreds of children receive free im- Texans, the College of Medicine’s student-led Health
munizations every year, and organizers plan at least six events each academic year. In Circus organization was selected as the winner of the
2004 Student Research Exhibit at the Texas Academy
addition to immunizations, Health Circus volunteers offer healthy child screenings, of Family Physician’s 55th Annual Session and Scien-
dental screenings, blood pressure and glucose checks for adults and educational in- tific Assembly.
formation from local health organizations, as well as door prizes, balloon animals, face
painting, popcorn, games, and a moonwalk for children.

College’s Mini-Medical School “Graduates” Local Residents

Members of the Bryan-College Station community had the opportunity to at-
tend medical school this spring for free. Mini-medical school, that is. The College of
Medicine presented the first Mini-Medical School during the 2005 spring semester
for local residents interested in learning current, relevant medical information from
medical school faculty. The three week program, planned for consecutive Thursday
evenings in January and February, was designed to make positive connections to the
local community.
Mini-Medical “students” attended informative lectures given by College of Med-
icine faculty members Dr. Don DiPette, Dr. Roy Smythe and Dr. Farida Sohrabji. “The Mini-Medical School program is a marvelous op-
portunity for the community, and these are subjects that
Dr. DiPette kicked off the program with “Hypertension: The Heart’s Silent Enemy” affect all of us,” attendee Dorothy Miller said. “We get
and a discussion about the dangers of hypertension and methods of treatment. free parking, a free program, free refreshments and the
Dr. Smythe lectured attendees on current cancer research in “Cancer: When Good opportunity to ask experts questions about our own
personal issues. How can you beat that?”
Cells Go Bad”. Dr. Sohrabji concluded the Mini-Medical School with a talk entitled
“Hormones: To Replace or Not to Replace”, which discussed the benefits, pitfalls
and current research on menopause, estrogen and hormone replacement therapy.
Students who attended at least two of the three sessions were presented with a
certificate of achievement at a graduation ceremony on the last night of the Mini-
Medical School. The event drew more than 100 attendees for this year’s program, and
organizers are looking forward to broadening the scope of this community outreach
opportunity at next year’s event, which is being expanded to six sessions during Janu-
ary and February.

Page 17.
 J oe and S u s i e R eyno l d s
H O US T O N , T E X A S

E N D O W E D S C H O L A R S H IP D O N O R S A N D L O N G T I M E SUPP O R T E R S
O F T H E C O LL E G E O F M E D I C I N E

M R . R E Y N O L D S PL A Y E D A PIV O T A L R O L E O N T H E T E X A S A & M B O A R D O F R E G E N T S
I N T H E E S T A B LIS H M E N T O F T H E C O LL E G E O F M E D I C I N E I N T H E 1 9 7 0 s

“I love the College of Medicine. It has been a big part of my life since my days on The Texas A&M Board of Regents.
Providing this endowed scholarship is something my wife Susie and I wanted to do for the college and its students.”

Page 18.
 Promoting growth and development
fostering resources for the future

While financial gifts to the College of Medicine go back to the days of its inception 2005-2006 Annual Fund Sponsors*
in 1977, full-time organized efforts to attract private resources are much more recent.
With the establishment of the Health Science Center in 1999, a separate Health Sci- Active Level
ence Center Foundation was also created. The HSC Foundation, a 501(c)3 organiza- Tresa McNeal, M.D. ‘02
tion, accepts gifts on behalf of the institutions of the HSC, which includes the College Alan & Susan Sunderland
of Medicine.
The Office of Institutional Advancement is responsible for all activities related to Bronze Level
development, including soliciting major and ongoing gifts, stewarding donors and Christine Abraham ‘09
planning community outreach events. Through this office, the College of Medicine Terrell Benold, M.D. ‘83
has initiated new programs to encourage giving ranging from annual support and Jolie Cappel ‘08
endowment level gifts to bequests, trusts and other planned gifts. Dr. Don & Julie Cauthen
One such program is the college’s Annual Appeal Fund. This campaign is de- Phyllis Chang, M.D. ‘90
signed to attract broad support through regular gifts at levels of $1,000 or less. Darrell & Donna Faglie
Sponsorships through this campaign provide unrestricted dollars, a source of criti- George S. Fidone, M.D. ‘90
cal importance that allows the college to support a variety of educational, research Alice D. Friedman, M.D. ‘81
and outreach projects. J. Blake Harrison, M.D. ‘87
The college is also organizing a scholarship campaign to solicit both current and Laura Hattox ‘09
endowed funds. Medical education expenses, when coupled with the costs of under- Joy L. Hawkins, M.D. ‘81
graduate school, often leave medical students with a tremendous debt load. Financial J. Mark Jackson, M.D. ‘94
support, in the form of scholarships, helps offset some of this expense and provides a David & Jennifer Lin
tremendous incentive to potential students. Since the College of Medicine is expecting Rob Milman, M.D. ‘86
to grow its incoming class size by 25 percent beginning in 2007, additional scholar- Thomas Murnane, M.D. ‘92
ship support will also be necessary to assist students. Plans are underway to increase Darren Nelson, M.D. ‘96
the existing endowed corpus for scholarships from approximately $1.5 million to K. Kip Owen, M.D. ‘88
more than $3 million. Ken & Linda Quirk
In addition to these major efforts, the Office of Institutional Advancement is or- Rene Salazar, M.D. ‘99
ganizing events which serve to promote the college while providing community out-
reach opportunities. The college hosts multiple events throughout the year in the Bry- Silver Level

an-College Station area and other communities statewide to offer timely information Brian & Karen Eckhart
about important medical topics. From sessions on the latest innovations in women’s Angela Latham, M.D. ‘93
health to caring for elderly parents, these events allow the college to take information Fiona Prabhu, M.D. ‘95
from the classroom or research lab to share it with the general population. Such com-
munity outreach not only enables the college to fulfill its mission of service, but also Gold Level
attracts donors to a variety of programs seeking private support. ---

For more information about giving opportunities, please contact Tom Pool, Platinum Level
Director of Institutional Advancement at development@medicine.tamhsc.edu or Claire M. Carman, M.D. ‘85
979/845-3431. Michael Dragutsky, M.D. ‘82
Paul Ogden M.D. ‘81
Barbara Weiss Probe, M.D. ‘86
Robert A. Probe, M.D. ‘84
Jose I. Ulloa

*As of publication date

Page 19.
 F A C T S & F IGU R E S

Established 1977 First M.D. Awarded 1981

STUDENTS (as of Fall 2005)

Number Percentage
Total Enrollment 299
Total Enrollment By Gender
Male 146 49%
Female 153 51%
Total Enrollment by Ethnicity
White 173 58%
Black 14 5%
Hispanic 32 11%
Native American 2 1%
Asian/Pacific Islander 65 22%
International 5 2%
Other 8 13%
Underrepresented Minority Enrollment 48 16%
(includes Blacks, Hispanics, and Native Americans)

Total for 2004-05 Total to Date

MD Degrees Awarded 67 1196

Post-Graduate Training Plans for

COM Graduates in the Class of 2005 Number Percentage
Residencies in Primary Care 35 50%
Residencies in Other Specialties 35 50%
Total Graduates Practicing in Texas 32 46%

FACULTY AND STAFF

EEO Classification Headcount
Executive Administration 13
Faculty 101
Staff 179
Total Employees 293
Note: Assignment based on primary job function.
Executive Administration includes some individuals
with faculty rank.

TUITION AND FEES (2005-2006)

Tuition Tuition Fees
In-state Out-of-state (approximate)

MD Program $7,750 $22,950 $1,262

RESEARCH
Amount
Research Expenditures (FY2005) $26,547,597

Page 20.
 A D M I S S I O N S

Admission to The Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine is competitive. We consider individuals for enroll-
ment who have completed at least 90 hours of their undergraduate course work at a fully accredited college or university
M I S S I O N S T A T E M E N T in the United States or its territories. By state mandate, enrollment of individuals who are residents of states other than
Texas may not exceed 10 percent.

The Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine is dedicated to the education of humane and
highly skilled physicians and to the development of knowledge in the biomedical and clinical sciences. To
achieve its mission, the college utilizes the varied resources of The Texas A&M University System, Scott
& White Memorial Hospital and Clinic, the Central Texas Veterans Health Care System, Darnall Army
Community Hospital, Driscoll Children’s Hospital, CHRISTUS Spohn Hospital, John Peter Smith Hospital
and physicians in private practice. In order to improve the quality and efficacy of health and medical care
through its programs of medical education and research, the College of Medicine will continue:
We are committed to improving the health of Texans through the integrated education of humane and highly skilled physi-
cians and the development of knowledge in the biomedical and clinical sciences. We also believe in the important role of
diversity in the training of future medical professionals, which enhances their ability to provide care to communities across
a broad range of racial and ethnic groups. These characteristics of the college form the philosophy behind our admissions
process and our desire to admit students whose goals and attitudes are consistent with our mission.
Applicants, therefore, must demonstrate better than average ability to master a challenging educational experience. In
addition to academic ability, successful applicants must exhibit the personal qualities necessary to interact with others
in an effective and personable manner. Pre-medical advisors play an important role in helping the admissions committee
assess these attributes and qualities. Prospective applicants are urged to get to know their advisors early in their under-
graduate education.

n To maintain a high-quality medical education program, which graduates physicians prepared to enter
graduate study in any medical specialty, including primary care. The medical education program includes a
strong emphasis on the humanistic and ethical aspects of medicine.
n To develop programs of research in selected areas of biomedical and clinical science; and to join in col-
laborative programs with other elements of The Texas A&M University System through which the knowledge
Application Information
The Texas Medical and Dental Schools Application Service (TMDSAS) is a centralized application processing service for ap-
plicants to first-year entering classes at participating medical schools. TMDSAS provides one standardized form online at:
http://www.utsystem.edu/tmdsas/. The application for admission can be submitted as early as May 1. The TMDSAS applica-
tion fee is $55; the fee will increase $10 with each school selected. The fee schedule is included with the electronic version
of the application. All supporting documents are to be mailed to: TMDSAS, 702 Colorado, Suite 6.400, Austin, Texas 78701.
Contact TMDSAS at 512/499-4785 or email TMDSAS@utsystem.edu.

and skills of many disciplines can be utilized to improve the health and medical care of specific segments of
the population.
n To educate biomedical scientists to conduct research in areas that will form the foundation for advances
in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of disease.
Applicants must also submit the Secondary Admission Application, which is located on the College of Medicine website.
The application is to be filled out and submitted by electronic transmission, and the application fee is $45 (non-refund-
able). Applicants will not be considered for further evaluation until the primary and secondary applications have been
properly completed, appropriate MCAT scores released and letters of evaluation submitted.
Information on letters of evaluation, application screening, personal interviews, undergraduate course requirements and
the Medical College Admission Test can be located on the College of Medicine Admissions webpage.

College of Medicine Admissions Resources

Admissions Office: http://medicine.tamhsc.edu/admissions/index.htm

Vision 6
Application Timeline: http://medicine.tamhsc.edu/admissions/timeline.htm

Service 9 Admissions FAQ: http://medicine.tamhsc.edu/admissions/faq.htm

Alumni 10
Editor: Summer L. Morgan
Research 14 Design: EDGE Creative Strategies If you have questions concerning admissions, please address them to: The Texas A&M Health Science Center College of
Outreach 16 Production: HSC Communications Medicine, Assistant Dean for Admissions, 159 Reynolds Medical Building, College Station, TX 77843-1114. Contact the
Development 19 Photography: Scott Goldsmith, Gary Hansen, Assistant Dean for Admissions at 979/845-7743 or email admissions@medicine.tamhsc.edu.
Glen Johnson, Michael Kellett,
Facts and Figures 20 Jim LaCombe, Philip Schertz
 The Texas A&M Health Science Center

College of Medicine

Dean’s Report
2005

College of Medicine
The Texas A&M Health Science Center
147 Joe H. Reynolds Medical Building n College Station, Texas 77843-1114
Phone: 979 / 845-3431 n Fax: 979 / 847-8663
Web page: http://medicine.tamhsc.edu