Training Empathetic Scholars® in relationship-centered communication.
Meet the Team
Erin Nelson, Psy.D.
Erin Nelson, Psy.D., joined the Anne Burnett Marion School of Medicine at Texas Christian University in 2017 as an Associate Professor of Medical Education and was the inaugural Director of our longitudinal Preparation for Practice Course. Since 2017, Dr. Nelson has also led, and continues to lead, our Psychological and Behavioral Science curriculum.
Dr. Nelson and the Physician Communication Team are committed to furthering our collective mission – training the next generation of Empathetic Scholars®. The team works closely with leadership, faculty, staff, and students across the school of medicine and TCU main campus to develop and deploy innovative communication content for our students. Formal Physician Communication curriculum is integrated across school of medicine courses and embedded in all three phases of the program. The unit also offers a robust range of co-curricular opportunities for students, faculty, staff and the community.
James Cox, M.D.
James Cox, M.D., is a gastroenterologist who was in private practice from 1996-2017. He then transitioned into academic medicine in 2018 and is an assistant professor of medicine at the Anne Burnett School of Medicine. Dr. Cox is the Director of Clinical Skill Development in the Physician Communication department, an Assistant Director in Clinical Skills and a co-director for the Gastroenterology and Nutrition module in Mechanisms of Health and Disease.
James Cox, M.D.
Director of Communication Skill Development
Arnold Hall, 3rd Floor
Heather Hale Nguyen, M.S.
Heather Hale Nguyen, M.S., joined the Burnett School of Medicine at TCU in 2018 as the Assistant Director of Admissions & Outreach, later becoming the Director of the Office of Admissions and helped to welcome the first four medical school classes. After 5 years in admissions, she made the move to the Physician Communication Team.
As the Director of Humanities and Communication, Heather works with TCU Fine Arts, community members and School of Medicine students, faculty and staff to create creative and engaging co-curricular programming. The intersection of humanities and medicine provides opportunities for our medical students to strengthen their teamwork skills, empathy and communication.
Heather Hale Nguyen, M.S.
Director of Humanities and Communication
Arnold Hall, 4th Floor, 422B
Amit Singh, M.D.
Director of Physician Communication
Arnold Hall, 4th Floor, 408C
Karla O’Donald, Ph.D.
Karla O’Donald, Ph.D., has been teaching Spanish for the professions for about 15 years of her 27-year teaching career. Through fostering a deep appreciation for language diversity, promoting effective communication, and cultivating global citizenship, her mission is to inspire a lifelong love for language learning and equip students with the tools to become empathetic, open-minded, and effective communicators in our global community.
Objectives for the Medical Spanish Program:
- Develop Competency in Conversational Spanish: Enhance students’ conversational skills in Spanish, tailored to their current proficiency levels, ranging from novice to advanced speakers.
- Learn Culturally Appropriate Communication: Equip students with culturally appropriate conversational skills, enabling effective and respectful interactions with Spanish-speaking patients, their families, and other healthcare providers.
- Prepare for Culturally Competent Care: Prepare students to provide informed, culturally competent care to Spanish-speaking patients, addressing language barriers and fostering inclusivity in healthcare delivery.
- Promote Lifelong Learning and Professional Development: Establish a foundation for continuous Spanish language learning that supports professional growth and service, particularly in healthcare settings involving Spanish-speaking populations.
- Create and Utilize Online Resources: Develop an accessible online repository of relevant medical Spanish curriculum and resources to support ongoing learning and practical application.
