UTMB Announcements for 5/27/2024
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Check the Events Calendar for today.
No previous Covid-19 Vaccinations
Interested in taking part in a Phase 1/2/3, Variant- Adapted BNT162b2 Covid-19 Vaccine Study
Able to attend at least 1-4 in-clinic visits and be available for at least 1-2 telephone calls over approximately 6- 9 months.
Participants will be compensated for time and travel.
For information contact Cori Burkett-Merrifield, PA-C
Email: cmburket@utmb.edu or sivsctp@utmb.edu
Tel: (409) 772-5426
As we approach the summer season, please make sure you are scheduling time off to relax and reconnect with family and friends.
Submitting your Paid Time Off (PTO) requests as soon as possible not only ensures your well-deserved break but also allows your department to plan for employee absences during peak vacation times.
The following resources are available to help with viewing your accrual balances and submitting PTO requests:
How to Read Timecard Accrual Data
Kronos Leave Types & Pay Codes Summary
How to Submit Kronos Time-Off Requests
Moment of Hope
Each week the Pastoral Care Department brings you a Moment of Hope. Additionally, Click here to listen to this week's Moment of Hope featuring one of our UTMB Chaplains.
This week, we celebrate Memorial Day. Memorial Day is an American holiday, observed on the last Monday of May, honoring the men and women who died while serving in the U.S. military. Memorial Day 2024 will occur on Monday, May 27.
Originally known as Decoration Day, it originated in the years following the Civil War and became an official federal holiday in 1971. Many Americans observe Memorial Day by visiting cemeteries or memorials, holding family gatherings, and participating in parades. Unofficially, it marks the beginning of the summer season.Here is a prayer from The Common Book of Prayer we hope encourages you today.
O God, in the course of this busy life, give us times of
refreshment and peace; and grant that we may so use our
leisure to rebuild our bodies and renew our minds, that our
spirits may be opened to the goodness of your creation. Amen.
The Book of Common Prayer
The Black Alliance Employee Resource Group (BERG)
presents the
Juneteenth Luncheon and Program
Monday, June 3, 2024
Noon - 1:00 PM
Health Education Center, Room 1.200
Keynote Speaker: David H. O'Neal, Galveston ISD Board of Trustee, District 2-B
RSVP to events@utmb.edu
Nursing leaders are needed! Earn your Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree at UTMB School of Nursing!
BSN-DNP and MSN-DNP pathways offered! The BSN-DNP pathway offers three nurse practitioner tracks and is the firstand onlyDNP program in Texas to offer a dual FNP-AGACNP track to provide graduates with a broad scope of practice. The MSN-DNP program focuses on leadership and accepts APRNs, CNLs, ENLs, and Nurse Administrators. This online program has a classroom feel and is supported by outstanding, student-centered faculty!
Fall 2024 applications are currently being accepted! Visit our website to learn about requirements, program curriculum, the application process, application deadlines and more. You can also look into UTMB’s tuition reimbursement benefit .
Are you a Registered Nurse interested in nursing research?
The University of Texas Medical Branch School of Nursing offers an online Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing program. BSN-PhD or MSN-PhD programs are offered, with small class sizes to allow for individual student guidance. Students will work closely with faculty from nursing and other disciplines to conduct biobehavioral and clinical research, research in vulnerable populations, and in teaching methods and practice. The purpose of the UTMB School of Nursing PhD program is to develop nurse researchers who embrace interdisciplinary collaboration, generate knowledge, advance science, and impact health policy with the goal of promoting holistic health and wellbeing of diverse individuals and populations across the lifespan.
Fall 2024 applications are currently being accepted! Visit our website to learn about requirements, program curriculum, the application process, application deadlines and more. You can also look into UTMB’s tuition reimbursement benefit .
Chronic Pain Patient Volunteers Needed for Research Study Using Nerve Stimulation
You may be eligible to participate in this research study if you are someone who:
· Has chronic pain
· Regularly takes an opioid medication ( e.g., Tramadol, Hydrocodone, Acetaminophen with Codeine, Morphine, etc.)
· Would like to reduce the amount of pain medication you take
Participation Involves:
· An in-patient stay in the Clinical Research Center at UTMB in Galveston
· Using a stimulation device worn around the ear that works to stimulate nerves to affect the signals in your brain
· Being monitored during the duration of your stay in the form of surveys, questionnaires, and undergoing imaging (MRI) of your brain
Taking part in the voluntary study might have the potential benefit of providing you with relief from pain and withdrawal symptoms.
For More Information, please contact:
Sophia Rodriguez at (409)465-4776 or at solrodri@utmb.edu
Free membership in the Association for Women in Science (AWIS)
The GSBS has an institutional partnership with AWIS that allows UTMB employees and trainees (any gender) to join AWIS for FREE .
Some of the many benefits of joining AWIS :
- An AWIS career center with job postings including postdoc, faculty, NIH/other government, industry, and scientific writing positions
- “Spotlights” year-round that could feature you and your work and expand your connections and networking ( two GSBS graduate students were featured on the cover of a fall 2023 AWIS issue for their work addressing the opioid crisis! )
- Virtual career fairs with top companies across the nation
- Monthly professional development webinars covering a wide variety of topics from resume writing to networking, the science of interpersonal relationships, public speaking tips for scientists, and creating a vision statement just to name a few
- Scholarship opportunities
- Leadership and mentoring opportunities
To join, use the following link and sign up with your UTMB email address ( and be sure to select AWIS-Houston as your local chapter ):
NOTE: If you have already joined AWIS but forgot to select AWIS-Houston as your local chapter , you can still do so! Simply go to the AWIS homepage, log in, and then click “View my Profile”. Select “Edit Profile” and scroll down to the “Chapters” drop down box and select “TX, Houston Chapter”. Click “Save Profile” and that’s it! Adding a Chapter is FREE, and allows you access to local AWIS networking, career development, etc. events!
The John Sealy School of Medicine’s MD program commencement ceremony will take place Saturday, June 1, 2024, at 10 a.m. at Moody Gardens Convention Center. Faculty members are invited to celebrate this momentous occasion for our students. If you plan to attend, please RSVP to events@utmb.edu or (409) 747-6735 by Monday, May 20.
Burke T. Bradley, MD, will deliver the keynote address. Dr. Bradley is an anesthesiologist who earned his medical degree at UTMB in 1990, and completed his internship and anesthesiology residency at UTMB before entering private practice. Affiliated with Houston Methodist Hospital for the majority of his career, he has performed more than 37,000 general and regional anesthetics, with skills and interest in high-risk obstetric anesthesia, complex airway management, anesthesia care team management, multi-medical discipline cooperation, perioperative OR safety and efficiency, and human resource practices. Dr. Bradley is a member of the Houston Methodist Anesthesiology Residency faculty. From 2008 to 2022, he served as Chief of Anesthesiology for the ENT, Ophthalmology, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, and Plastic/Cosmetic/Reconstructive Surgery service lines at Houston Methodist. In 2023, he joined the Face the Future Foundation as the sole anesthesiologist on a mission to Ukraine, performing 123 procedures on 35 injured soldiers over the course of five days. He has plans to return yearly.
Cristiana Rastellini, MD, will serve as Senior Faculty Marshal. Dr. Rastellini is a Professor of Instruction in the Department of Neurobiology. She holds secondary appointments as an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology and the Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Endocrinology. Dr. Rastellini joined the faculty at UTMB in 2007. She has been highly involved in teaching activities in addition to her research program. Dr. Rastellini currently serves as Chair of the JSSOM Curriculum Committee. She is a multi-year recipient of the Jimmy Doyle Dickens Memorial Award, selected by students in the John Sealy School of Medicine, and has been a faculty hooder for numerous JSSOM commencement ceremonies. In 2019 she was inducted as a member of the Academy of Master Teachers.
You are invited to the 3rd Annual Juneteenth Program and Luncheon on June 3 rd , 2024, from 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm in the Health Education Center, Room 1.200. (Note: This event will also be livestreamed beginning at 12:10 p.m., if you are unable to attend in person.)
Galveston holds a special significance for Juneteenth as the birthplace of this national holiday. The program will feature an engaging presentation from a distinguished speaker, entertainment, and a luncheon. Your presence at this event would be a tremendous honor as we celebrate this historic day for the Galveston community. We look forward to celebrating Juneteenth with you.
Keynote Speaker: Mr. David H. O’Neal Jr. - Mr. David H. O’Neal Jr.’s affiliations include: Longest serving trustee of Galveston School Board, with 29 years of service, Board member of the Old Central Cultural Center, Past President of African American Heritage Committee, Member of Galveston Historical Foundation, Member and Deacon of the 141-year-old Mount Pilgram Baptist Church, and 55-year member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity.
In Person Attendees: Limited seating is available. Please RSVP by May 28 th to events@utmb.edu .
Livestream Attendees: This event will also be livestreamed beginning at 12:10 p.m..
We are currently recruiting female volunteers between the ages of 27 and 45 years old who have never received the HPV vaccine to participate in a clinical research trial.
Reimbursement for time and travel is provided.
Please contact Rosalina Trujillo at 409-747-5594 or rmtrujil@utmb.edu for more information.
The Black Alliance Employee Resource Group (BERG)
presents the
Juneteenth Luncheon and Program
Monday, June 3, 2024
Noon - 1:00 PM
Health Education Center, Room 1.200
Keynote Speaker: David H. O'Neal, Galveston ISD Board of Trustee, District 2-B
RSVP to events@utmb.edu
The Chief Research Office is inquiring about previous and current spaceflight related research interest at UTMB. To learn more, he is asking our research community to complete a brief survey about its work in the field.
We are also identifying those who have previously or are currently working with NASA, related space agencies or companies on spaceflight related research.
Complete the survey online .
If you have any questions, please reach out to Dr. Randall Urban , V ice President for Research, or Dr. Alan Landay. Vice President for Team Science.
Greetings all,
My name is Umayma Abdullatif, and I am a second-year medical student at UTMB John Sealy Medical School. I am conducting survey research and would like to ask for your help in distributing the survey. Our study seeks to evaluate the benefits and challenges experienced by cancer patients and survivors when using telehealth services for their healthcare visits.
We would like to get opinions from cancer patients or cancer survivors (aged 18 and older) on their experience of using telehealth and barriers to using it.
It will not ask you for any personal identifier and it will only take at maximum 10 minutes of your time. Please fill the survey out before May 31!
Please feel free to share and distibute our survey to cancer patients or cancer survivors. The use of Telehealth visits is growing and your contribution will help us identify and address existing obstacles in enhancing the utilization of this vital resource. Thank you in advance for your time, and please feel free to reach out with any questions or for further information.
SURVEY LINK:
Greetings all,
My name is Umayma Abdullatif, and I am a second-year medical student at UTMB John Sealy Medical School. I am conducting survey research and would like to ask for your help in distributing or taking our survey. Our study seeks to evaluate the benefits and challenges experienced by cancer patients and survivors when using telehealth services for their healthcare visits.
We would like to get opinions from cancer patients or cancer survivors (aged 18 and older) on their experience of using telehealth and barriers to using it.
It will not ask you for any personal identifier and it will only take at maximum 10 minutes of your time. Please fill the survey out before May 31!
The use of Telehealth visits is growing and your contribution will help us identify and address existing obstacles in enhancing the utilization of this vital resource. Thank you in advance for your time, and please feel free to reach out with any questions or for further information.
SURVEY LINK:
As we approach the commencement ceremony for the MD candidates of the John Sealy School of Medicine, we would like to share some important details.
Regalia Distribution:
The Campus Store staff will distribute regalia in the Jamail Student Center, Room 2.132, during the following dates and times:
- Tuesday, May 28 through Thursday, May 30, 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM
- Friday, May 31, 8:00 AM – 10:00 AM
***If you require someone else to collect your regalia on your behalf, please email the campus store at utmbstores@utmb.edu with the authorization details. The designated person must present a valid ID badgeupon collection. Note that regalia will not be released without prior email authorization.***
Commencement Ceremony Details ( https://www.utmb.edu/som/student-affairs/events/commencement-ceremony ) :
Date:Saturday, June 1, 2024
Venue:Moody Gardens Convention Center, One Hope Boulevard, Galveston, Texas
- 9:00 AM:Faculty Line-up in the North Lobby (Faculty marshals will receive separate instructions with an earlier arrival time for rehearsal),
- 10:00 AM:Commencement Ceremony
- Dean’s Reception:Following the ceremony, a reception for graduates and their guests will be held in the Floral Ballroom, 2nd floor, Convention Center. Faculty are encouraged to attend.
Parking:Free parking is available in the parking garage adjacent to the convention center.
Please do not hesitate to contact the Campus Store for assistance at (409) 772-1939.