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FORT WORTH – Medical students at the TCU and UNTHSC School of Medicine have been getting hands-on medical training inside clinics and hospitals since their first few days of medical school, however, administering COVID-19 vaccinations at a local drive-thru site felt different and historic.

“I was proud and honored to have an opportunity even if only in a small way to help fight against COVID,” said Shelby Wildish, a second-year medical student at the Fort Worth medical school. “I think it will be something I will remember for quite some time.”

The drive-thru COVID-19 vaccination site is a collaborative effort between Texas Christian University, Baylor, Scott & White All Saints Medical Center – Fort Worth and Tarrant County Public Health. The site located at the Amon G. Carter Stadium on the TCU campus opened on February 27, to North Texas residents and administered more than 1,000 COVID-19 vaccines on the first day.

The drive-thru site is managed by more than 180 volunteers and staff from TCU, Baylor Scott & White All Saints Medical Center – Fort Worth, TCU’s Harris College of Nursing & Health Sciences and College of Science & Engineering and the TCU and UNTHSC School of Medicine.

TCU and UNTHSC School of Medicine faculty members and about a dozen medical students including Wildish and second-year classmates Adam Rosencrans and Karena Fassett volunteered to administer COVID-19 vaccinations on March 6

“There have been other projects going on but this is the first where some of us have actually been out in the community volunteering since COVID began,” Fassett said. “It is kind of this cool almost poetic feeling that we’re getting back in the community to help prevent and stop the disease that kept us out of the community in the first place. It felt historic.”

Before the medical students could participate in the large-scale vaccination event, they had to complete a small training session with faculty members.

“The large-scale vaccination event is very important to the School of Medicine and we want both those who are getting vaccinated as well as our students to have the best experience,” said Kevin Kunkler, M.D.,  Executive Director for Simulation Education and Innovation at the medical school. “That experience includes training with faculty at the School of Medicine.”

Each student who volunteers must watch a video about administering the vaccine to patients and then follow up with a 15-minute in-person training session on injections. This training incorporates a check-list developed by Baylor, Scott, and White.

The students are able to ask Dr. Kunkler questions regarding administering the vaccination including technique training. Students were able to use a part-task trainer to prick the skin at the appropriate angle and depth as well as instill a simulated dose of the vaccine. Proper hygiene and skin preparation are also incorporated in the training.

“We want to make our students feel as confident and comfortable on performing these vaccinations, and so the students practice from introducing themselves, to asking about vaccination allergies, to identifying the appropriate site on the arm, and all the way to applying appropriate pressure, applying wound care, and providing appropriate instructions,” Dr. Kunkler said. “The students ask fantastic questions ranging from small variation in techniques to event logistics. They see this as a great learning experience and want those receiving the vaccine to be as comfortable as possible and to trust them.”

At the site, the students observe how one of the largest medical providers in North Texas, Baylor, Scott & White Health, uses a team environment and collaborative effort with TCU to ensure the drive-thru event runs smoothly.

“The flow here at the site is fantastic,” said Mike Sanborn, president of Baylor, Scott & White All Saints Medical Center – Fort Worth. “To be able to offer thousands of vaccinations to thousands of people and really provide them with some safety against the pandemic is just a fantastic opportunity. So we’re grateful for all of our partners that have really helped us set up this vaccination station.”

The streamlined and well-planned out approach to creating the drive-thru vaccination site took a lot of pressure off of the medical student volunteers, according to second-year medical student Adam Rosencrans.

“I kind of expected to have to do a lot of the prep work but really they made our role very easy,” Rosencrans said. “All the vaccines were lined up and all the doses were ready for us. All it came down to on my end was taking the supplies (vaccines) that were constantly being refilled and do my very small job of getting my materials, administering the vaccine and getting ready for the next patient.”

This was a unique experience for the medical students to be a part of as it emphasized the message of practicing medicine as a team, according to Chase Crossno, M.P.H., assistant artistic director at the medical school, who helps teach The Compassionate Practice ™ curriculum.

Crossno was on site with the medical students during their rotation at the drive-thru event on March 6.

“They need to keep the line moving so they needed to do their jobs swiftly and with compassion and attention to what they were doing,” Crossno said. “That whole system was so dependent on people believing in and connecting with each other. It was a beautiful demonstration of the diminishing of the power dynamics and a put emphasis on a really thoughtful and effective team environment.”

On March 6, the medical students helped administer 2,039 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine. From verification to observation, took patients less than 30 minutes to complete – all from the comfort and convenience of their car.

Officials plan for the TCU/BSWH site to administer 2,500 vaccines a day at full capacity. Plans to continue the weekend drive-thru events will be shared in the coming days.

Registration Information

The site will serve those who are registered for the COVID-19 vaccine through Tarrant County Public Health and/or those who are registered through Baylor Scott & White Health. In accordance with state and federal guidance, distribution priority includes those at the highest risk of severe illness from COVID-19 – those who fall into Phase 1A and 1B.

Tarrant County has advised all residents to register for the vaccine to make distribution go more smoothly once the various priority groups are reached. In addition to registering for the vaccine through Tarrant County Public Health, all residents are invited to register through Baylor Scott & White Health’s MyBSWHealth website or app, regardless of whether or not they are a current patient.

Baylor Scott & White Health will notify patients 48 hours prior to their appointment time. All patients must have an appointment; walk-ups or drive-ups without an appointment will be turned away.

FORT WORTH — To celebrate Pi Day, the TCU and UNTHSC School of Medicine tested students’ knowledge of the mathematical constant π and provided faculty pie recipes on social media.   ‘

Our first-year medical students Leticia Rivera, Rebecca Sobolewski, Amber Broderick, and Toni Igbokidi participated in our Pi Day Challenge in which  they tried to recite as many of Pi’s infinite digits.  You can watch the students’ Pie Day Challenge here:

Our faculty members also provided some delicious pie recipes:

Thuthuy’s Favorite Apple Pie Recipe

Thuthuy Nguyen, M.D., physician development coach and assistant professor 

Ingredients: 

PIE DOUGH 

• 2 ½ cups flour 
• 1 teaspoon salt 
• 1 ½ sticks butter, 1 1/2 sticks, cold, cubed 
• 8 tablespoons ice water, or as needed 

FILLING 

• 2 ½ lb granny smith apple, cored, sliced, peeled 
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar 
• 1/4 cup brown sugar 
• 2 tablespoons flour 

• ½ teaspoon salt 
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon 
• ¼ teaspoon nutmeg 
• ½ lemon 
• 1 egg, beaten 

• 1 tablespoon sugar 

Directions 

• In a medium-sized bowl, add the flour and salt. Mix with fork until combined. 
• Add in cubed butter and break up into flour with a fork. Mixture will still have lumps about the size of small peas. 

• Gradually add the ice water and continue to mix until the dough starts to come together. You may not need all of the water, but if the dough is too dry then add more. The dough should not be very tacky or sticky. 
• Work the dough together with your hands and turn out onto a surface. Work into a ball and cover with cling wrap. Refrigerate. 
• Peel the apples, then core and slice. 
• In a bowl, add the sliced apples, sugar, flour, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and juice from the lemon. 
• Mix until combined and all apples are coated. Refrigerate. 

• Preheat the oven to 375°F (200°C). 
• On a floured surface, cut the pie dough in half and roll out both halves until round and about ⅛-inch (3 mm) thick. 
• Roll the dough around the rolling pin and unroll onto a pie dish making sure the dough reaches all edges. Trim extra if necessary. 
• Pour in apple filling mixture and pat down. 
• Roll the other half of the dough on top. 
• Trim the extra dough from the edges and pinch the edges to create a crimp. Make sure edges are sealed together. 
• Brush the pie with the beaten egg and sprinkle with the sugar. 
• Cut four slits in the top of the pie to create a vent. 
• Bake pie for 50-60 minutes or until the crust is golden brown and no grayish or undercooked pastry remains. 
• Allow to cool completely before slicing. 

Nangia Family’s Mango Pie Recipe

Samir Nangia, M.D., physician development coach and assistant professor

INGREDIENTS 

1 Can Mango Pulp 

½ Pint Heavy Cream 

2 Packets of Unflavored Gelatin 

1 Cup Sugar 

8 Ounce Packet of Cream Cheese 

1 teaspoon of Vanilla Essence 

¼ Cup Warm Water 

2 Graham Cracker Pie Crusts 

DIRECTIONS 

1. Boil the heavy cream 

1. Mix the warm water with the gelatin and combine the two with the boiled heavy cream in a blender. 

1. Add cream cheese to the blender 

1. Add the sugar and the vanilla until everything is mixed well 

1. Slowly add the mango pulp until everything is blended well together 

1. Pour ½ of the mixture on each of the two pie crusts 

1. Allow the pies to sit for at least 7 hours in the fridge before serving 

(Serving with Vanilla Ice Cream is a great option!) 

Jennifer Coffman’s Pecan Pie Recipe  

Jennifer Coffman, M.D., physician development coach and assistant professor

This recipe is such a special family recipe. Pecan pie is a West Texas favorite. I made these pies every holiday with my mother. When I married my husband I was so pleased to find out that his Memaw’s recipe was the same. My husband’s family also has pecan trees and we would gather fresh pecans every year. So this recipe is so special because it is passed through both sides of our families. 

Ingredients: 

4 eggs 

1 cup Karo syrup 

1 cup sugar 

3 tbsp butter melted 

1 tsp vanilla 

1/8 tsp salt 

1 1/2 Cup of pecans (best if they are fresh pecans and chopped slightly)  

Start by beating the eggs in a mixer on low and add in one by one sugar, karo, butter, vanilla, salt  

then manually fold in the pecans.  Pour filling into unbaked pie crust. 

Here is the other secret….bake low and slow bake at 250 degrees for 1 hr and 20 min and then increase the temp to around 325 to brown for 10-15 minutes. You’ll know it is done with the center of the pie has a slight woble when shaken and edges are hard. 

FORT WORTH – Medical students from the TCU and UNTHSC School of Medicine have received scholarships and have been accepted into nationally recognized medical specialty programs.

Second-year medical student Brandon Mallory has been accepted into the Emergency Medicine EMRA and ACEP Leadership Academy class of 2022. The Emergency Medicine Residents’ Association (EMRA) was founded in 1974 and has more than 16,000 residents, medical students, fellows and alumni members.

The one-year program is a progressive self-development experience that will include monthly interactive online sessions with physicians and non-medical thought leaders, ACEP and CORD events to develop communication skills and the opportunity to meet national and international leaders in medicine among other activities.

Second-year medical students Vandana Garg and Lucas Yoon, along with first-year medical student Sereena Jivraj were accepted into NephSIM Nephrons. It is a year-long virtual mentoring program for medical students and residents that tailor’s nephrology learning experiences for trainees and provides mentorship and networking opportunities.

Jivraj was also awarded a separate Medical and Health Scholarship from SignatureCare Emergency Center. The bi-annual $1,000 scholarship award is given to U.S. students who demonstrate commitment and passion for the healthcare.

Second-year medical student Nicholson Brant was given the 2021 Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) Looking to the Future (LTTF) Medical Student Scholarship. Since 2006, the STS has selected 60 LTTF scholarship recipients, 30 general surgery residents and 30 medical students, who represent the best and brightest with a deep interest in discovering a career in cardiothoracic surgery.

Second-year medical student Dilan Shah received a $1,000 scholarship for being one of six winners for the inaugural round of applications for the 2020 Osmosis Health Education Impact Scholarship. The scholarship from Osmosis is open to US-based students working towards a degree in the health professions who can explain how they plan on embodying the six core values of Osmosis in their clinical practice.

Shanice Cox, a second-year medical student, was awarded the inaugural Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC)/Darrell G. Kirch, MD Scholarship when she arrived to the Fort Worth M.D. School in July 2019.

The scholarship awards $10,000 to eight 1st year underrepresented minority students for the 2019-2020 academic year who are enrolled in LCME-accredited US, MD-granting medical schools. The selected students demonstrated both community service and leadership, and are eligible to renew the Scholarship for an additional three years upon meeting renewal criteria.

Erica Brown, a first-year medical student, was awarded to Texas Medical Association’s Minority Scholarship. The TMA’s $10,000 scholarship is for minorities underrepresented in Texas medical schools and the state’s physician workforce.

One scholarship is available at each Texas medical school, according to Christopher Gilbody, the director of financial education and scholarship at the TCU and UNTHSC School of Medicine.

“We try to make sure our students are actively aware of any opportunities out there for medical students to receive financial help and we try to steer our students in the right direction to be able to take advantage of those opportunities,” Gilbody said. “That way they can focus on their medical education and do their best.”

FORT WORTH — TCU and UNTHSC School of Medicine staff members provided food and cocktail pairing for employees on March 1, 2021. Hosted by Amy Estes, assistant director for community relations and special events, with special guest Prescotte Stokes III, integrated content and marketing manager, who prepared shrimp po boys and beignets. Here are the recipes:

New Orleans Style Shrimp Po-Boy

Ingredients:

2 – 1.5 Quarts (48 oz.) bottles of Wesson Pure Canola Oil.

2 – Bags of Raw Shrimp (Super Colossal 13-15) *You can also use smaller size shrimp, it’s personal preference*

1 – Jar of Tony Chachere’s Creole Seasoning

1- Box of Zatarain’s Seasoned Shrimp FRI or Bag of Louisiana Shrimp FRI

1 – Loaf of French Bread

1 – bag of shredded lettuce

1 – Jar of Wicked Pickles

1 – Tomato

1 – Jar of Mayonnaise (Blue Plate)

Optional items:

1 – Bottle of Louisiana Hot Sauce

Preparation:

Fill deep fryer with 1 quart of Canola Oil and heat to 375 degrees.

Pour Shrimp into a medium sized bowl and add 1 tbsp of Tony Chachere’s seasoning and mix for about 30 seconds. Put Shrimp fry into a medium sized Ziploc bag and add 10-12 shrimp at a time.

Close the Ziploc bag and shake well for about 15-20 seconds. Remove shrimp from the bag one by one and shake off the excess Shrimp Fry coating into the Ziploc bag and add the shrimp to the hot cooking oil. Let the shrimp fry for 7-9 minutes until golden brown.

Place the shrimp into a bowl, plate or shallow dish lined with paper towels to drain excess oil.

Bread preparation:

Cut a 5-6 inch section of the French bread loaf, you can cut the ends off of the loaf before you measure the section you plan to use. Slice the loaf long ways down the middle. Spread Mayonnaise on the top and bottom inner sides of the bread. Use as much Mayo as you prefer. Cover the bottom slice of the bread with a shredded lettuce, as much as you prefer. Then add three to four slices of tomatoes across the top of the shredded lettuce. Add 10 to 12 shrimp on top of the tomatoes and add condiments if you like. Place the top slice on top of the shrimp, tomatoes and lettuce.

Enjoy your New Orleans Style Po-Boy!

FORT WORTH – A quick search on the internet about women aging and the effects on their health will bring up a list of topics including hormonal changes, weight gain and more.

We’ve enlisted a medical expert and prominent women in Fort Worth to discuss how women can fight back against aging and take control of their minds and bodies during the next FWMD LIVE chat presented by TCU and UNTHSC School of Medicine.

Joining us for our discussion about women staying fit over 50 will be School of Medicine assistant professor Lori Atkins, M.D., along with special guests City of Fort Worth Mayor Betsy Price and Fort Worth native and Juneteenth activist Opal Lee. Our guests will be giving advice on how women can fight back against aging, weight gain, hormonal changes and improve their overall health.

Media is invited to watch and ask questions during a Facebook Live Chat at 11:30 a.m. C.S.T. on Tuesday, March 16, on the medical school’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/fwmdschool/live_videos/

TCU and UNTHSC School of Medicine is celebrating Women’s History Month with a series of social media events:

11:30 a.m., Tuesday, March 16: Women’s Health – Fit Over 50. Guests include Fort Worth Mayor Betsy Price, Community Leader Opal Lee and faculty member Lori Atkins, M.D. Join the discussion on the medical school’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/fwmdschool/live_videos/

March 23 and March 24: Instagram Takeover with faculty member Velma Scantlebury, M.D., who became the nation’s first African-American female transplant surgeon in 1989. Follow along on the medical school’s Instagram page at http://instagram.com/fortworthmdschool/ 

12:30 p.m., Wednesday, March 24: Women’s Reproductive Health. Guests include Department Chair April Bleich, M.D.; Department Chair Kelly Pagidas, M.D.C.M.; and Clerkship Director Shanna Combs, M.D. Join the discussion on the medical school’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/fwmdschool/live_videos/

FORT WORTH – As the COVID-19 vaccine becomes more available to the general public, it’s helpful to stay informed about the vaccination process and the science behind the vaccines.

TCU and UNTHSC School of Medicine faculty members JoAnna Leuck, M.D., assistant dean of curriculum and Karim Jamal, M.D., assistant professor, shared some insight behind the science of the vaccines and the vaccination process.

Five Things to Expect When Getting  a COVID-19 Vaccination 

JoAnna Leuck, M.D.

When I go to get a COVID-19 vaccine, will I need to wear a mask and social distance from others? 

JL: Yes, it will be important to continue the practice of wearing a mask, handwashing and social distancing until a large portion of the population is fully vaccinated. The vaccine is most protective against a serious COVID infection, but it is unknown if it prevents the spread of infection from person to person.

Will I receive something from my healthcare provider stating I have been vaccinated? 

JL: You will receive a card that will have the type of vaccine and the date you received each dose. Secure your card and take a picture with your phone or personal camera in case your card is lost or damaged.

Will I be monitored for side effects on site or after I leave my healthcare provider? 

JL: Yes, you will wait for 15 minutes at the site to be observed for any immediate side effects from the vaccine. Immediate reactions have proven to be very rare and are usually related to an allergic reaction. Once you get home, it is normal to have mild symptoms for 24 to 36 hours related to the vaccine. These symptoms may include arm soreness, muscle aches, chills, a low fever, or mild swelling or pain in areas of lymph nodes such as the armpit and neck. These symptoms occur most often on the side of your body where you received the vaccine. The symptoms are evidence of your immune system working and are expected. Everyone reacts differently, and some people have no symptoms at all. If you have symptoms other than those described above, or if they persist for greater than 72 hours, contact your doctor.

For the first time, the CDC has also provided a way for each person who receives the vaccine to report their experience. This will help to quickly identify any issues with the vaccine. You can sign up at https://vsafe.cdc.gov/ and will receive short surveys about the vaccine experience.

Am I still protected from COVID-19 if I get the first vaccination dose, but do not return to get the second dose?  

JL: The first dose may provide some protection, but, according to research thus far, is not as effective as getting both doses.

How long will it take for my body to build protection against COVID-19 after I receive my vaccination doses? 

JL: The full scope of protection occurs seven days after the second dose for most people.

Five things to know about COVID-19 vaccines.

Karim Jamal, M.D.

How much protection will a COVID-19 vaccine give me after the first dose?

KJ: How much more will I be protected after the second dose? For the Pfizer vaccine, the trials show it is roughly 52 percent effective around 12 days after receiving the first shot. But that level of protection rises to 95 percent around two weeks after the second dose.

Can a COVID-19 vaccine make me sick with COVID-19?

KJ: No. The two vaccines that are presently being used in the U.S. are RNA modified (in fact that’s where the name Moderna comes from — modified RNA) and have no potential of causing COVID-19. Other vaccines (measles, mumps, rubella, yellow fever) are developed by using a live attenuated agent and in these circumstances, if given to a person with a suppressed immune system, could cause an active infection (or in the case of a pregnant patient be transmissible to the fetus).

Is cost an obstacle to getting vaccinated against COVID-19?

KJ: No, the federal government has secured and paid for hundreds of millions of doses (at $20/dose) of both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccine. The vaccine is free of charge.

Will there be other COVID-19 vaccines developed in the future?

KJ: There are no present plans for this but there is an exciting silver lining with the novel RNA technology used in our present vaccines. The technology will allow a more precise and expeditious manipulation of the vaccine to fine tune for other variants of COVID-19. This will likely change other vaccines in the future. For example, with the influenza vaccine we may not need to plan months ahead to analyze circulating strains in the Southern Hemisphere and then guess how to constitute our yearly vaccine. The way it is today we’re only half right with influenza A and not at all right with influenza B. As this virus circulates, it’s picking up escape mutations that change the confirmation of the S protein. The variants that are presently of concern (but will no doubt become more numerous) are the B1.17 (UK variant) P1 (Brazilian variant) and B1.351 (South African variant). Studies have shown that antibodies from immunized people fended off the UK variant just fine. However, with the South African strain, the neutralizing power of the antibodies induced by Moderna’s vaccine was reduced six-fold. Presently, Moderna’s scientists are retooling the company’s mRNA sequence to more closely mimic the most significant mutations and plan to test it as an additional booster shot in clinical studies later this year.

After getting vaccinated do I still need to wear a mask and practice social distancing? 

KJ: Absolutely. The vaccine is superb in keeping you from getting sick (in the Pfizer trial of the 15,000 patients that were given the vaccine only 8 became symptomatic with COVID 19 versus 162 patients in the 15,000 subjects that received the placebo). What we don’t know is whether it keeps people from getting infected in the first place and hence remaining infectious to others.

FORT WORTH – The current pandemic has increased public interest in scientific discovery and highlighted the importance of clearly communicating research findings. To meet this need, the American Heart Association and TCU and UNTHSC School of Medicine now offer a series of interactive learning modules to help science and medical researchers communicate their work in a way non-scientists can better understand implications of often complex language and technical concepts.

“With the growing call for transparency in medical and scientific research, the American Heart Association is committed to helping researchers effectively explain their findings to a broad audience including consumers, policymakers and funding supporters,“ said Mary Ann Bauman, M.D., chairman of the American Heart Association Research Communications Task Force. “These translation skills are equally useful for basic, clinical and population researchers, no matter their expertise level or their field of study.”

The communication modules, called The Heart of Communicating Science, aim to help anyone in a highly specialized occupation explain their research or work to any audience. Speaking and writing courses in the modules include peer examples, practice drills and structured processes that can be carried forward to use in presentations, meetings, articles, blogs and conversations.

To develop the series, the American Heart Association reached out to The Compassionate Practice® team at TCU and UNTHSC School of Medicine.

The Compassionate Practice® is an interdisciplinary curriculum designed to help physicians build skills in awareness, listening, inquiry and engagement to foster exceptional connections with patients, their teams and their communities. The team uses journalism, public health, drama, non-verbal communication and narrative medicine techniques to train doctors to build authentic connections and communicate with empathy and clarity.

The Compassionate Practice® was created in 2017 by Evonne Kaplan-Liss, M.D., M.P.H., visiting professor at the TCU and UNTHSC School of Medicine; Val Lantz-Gefroh, M.F.A., visiting associate professor at the TCU and UNTHSC School of Medicine; Chase Crossno, M.P.H., assistant artistic director at the TCU and UNTHSC School of Medicine; and Lauren Mitchell, Ph.D., director of narrative medicine at the TCU and UNTHSC School of Medicine.

Dr. Kaplan-Liss had previously been the Assistant Dean for Narrative Reflection and Patient Communication at the TCU and UNTHSC School of Medicine before joining the University of California at San Diego Sanford Institute for Empathy and Compassion.

“Clear and compassionate communication is one of the foundational pillars of our medical school’s mission,” said Evonne Kaplan-Liss, M.D., MPH, now the Director of The Center for Compassionate Communication at the University of California at San Diego Sanford Institute for Empathy and Compassion. “Working with the American Heart Association to offer these lessons to help researchers better connect with public audiences is a natural extension of our work.”

The Heart of Communicating Science introduces three core skills: speaking plainly about one’s work, writing a lay summary and developing a news release.

“You have to begin to think of communication as a conversation,” said Val Lantz-Gefroh, MFA, Director of Communication Curriculum for The Center for Compassionate Communication at the University of California at San Diego Sanford Institute for Empathy and Compassion. “The processes introduced will help investigators articulate why their research matters and think more deeply about language that will impact and engage their audience. The modules will also help them improve their writing and help them become more effective when it comes to proactively promoting their work.”

In September, more than two dozen scientists and researchers were invited to pilot test the series. Participants provided feedback on the modules’ structure and content, interactivity, tasks and navigation and design. In a survey after the pilot, those who took part agreed they would recommend these modules to a colleague.

“To me, the most useful part was that it made me think about why this research is so important to me,” said pilot participant Keisa Mathis, Ph.D., an assistant professor of Physiology & Anatomy in the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences at the University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth. “It made me remember why I care.”

“This process is intended to help empower scientists and researchers to communicate more clearly, vividly and more effectively,” Lantz-Gefroh said. “Now more than ever, communicating with the public isn’t just a good idea. It’s an imperative.”

“Funding research is a cornerstone of the American Heart Association’s lifesaving mission. The Association has funded more than $4.6 billion in cardiovascular research since 1949, making it the single largest non-government supporter of heart and brain health research in the U.S.” Bauman said. “We want to ensure those researchers are equipped to effectively communicate their findings, because bringing science to life is key to translating it into medical advances and treatment guidelines that can help everyone life healthier, longer.”

The Heart of Communicating Science can be purchased through the American Heart Association’s website.

Our educational and medical experts joined us for a Facebook Live discussion on the communications training module that is available for all scientists and researchers on March 3, 2021.

School of Medicine visiting professor Evonne Kaplan-Liss, M.D., MPH;  School of Medicine visiting associate professor Val Lantz-Gefroh, MFA; and Kesia Mathis, Ph.D., assistant professor of Physiology & Anatomy at the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences at The University of North Texas Health Science Center answered questions about communications training for scientists and researchers.

About the American Heart Association

The American Heart Association is a relentless force for a world of longer, healthier lives. We are dedicated to ensuring equitable health in all communities. Through collaboration with numerous organizations, and powered by millions of volunteers, we fund innovative research, advocate for the public’s health and share lifesaving resources. The Dallas-based organization has been a leading source of health information for nearly a century. Connect with us on heart.org, Facebook, Twitter or by calling 1-800-AHA-USA1.

About the TCU and UNTHSC School of Medicine

The TCU and UNTHSC School of Medicine, Fort Worth’s M.D. school, opened with a class of 60 students in July 2019. TCU and UNTHSC joined together in July 2015 to form this new allopathic medical school. The School of Medicine’s focus on communication, a first-of-its-kind curriculum and the development of Empathetic Scholars^TM uniquely positions the organization to radically transform medical education, improving care for future generations. To make this new school possible, the greater North Texas community stepped up to help, providing philanthropic support. The school’s current Founding Donors include Alcon, Amon G. Carter Foundation, Baylor Scott & White, The Burnett Foundation, Cook Children’s, Texas Health Resources, Mr. H. Paul Dorman, Mr. Arnold and Mrs. Harriette Gachman, Dr. John and Mrs. Priscilla Geesbreght, Sid W. Richardson Foundation, Rebecca and Jon Brumley, The Morris Foundation, Martha Sue Parr Trust, Tartaglino Richards Family Foundation, and Thomas M., Helen McKee & John P. Ryan Foundation and an anonymous donor.

FORT WORTH – The TCU and UNTHSC School of Medicine received the Gold award for Best Social Media Campaign in the  Association of American Medical Colleges’ (AAMC) 2021 GIA Awards for Excellence.

The Fort Worth medical school’s FWMD Live video series won the top prize in the Social Media category. The GIA Awards for Excellence Competition is an annual, peer-reviewed competition that recognizes outstanding work by members of the Group on Institutional Advancement (GIA), according to the AAMC website. The awards honor the most creative and effective approaches used to promote academic medicine through alumni relations, communications, development, marketing, and public affairs/community relations programs and projects.

AAMC GIA Award Judges’ said the FWMD Live social media campaign was a “clever idea that matured into a great program” and “besides providing excellent content, the project maps an active response effort in the implementation of strategy to shifting environmental conditions.”

The winning Strategy and Communications team included Juan Cabrera, Digital Media Producer and Marketer; Maricar Estrella, Director of Digital Development and Content Strategy; and Prescotte Stokes III, Integrated Content & Marketing Manager.

Along with the award, the team will receive a $1,000 prize, which will be donated to The School of Medicine Endowed Scholarship for Physician Leaders to benefit the school’s medical students.

You can view all of the TCU and UNTHSC School of Medicine’s FWMD Live videos here.

FORT WORTH, Texas  – Application submissions to attend the TCU and UNTHSC School of Medicine for the 2021 academic year doubled in comparison with the 2020 academic year.

There were 8,190 applications submitted to the TCU and UNTHSC School of Medicine for the 2021 academic year. That total is double the number of applications the medical school received during the 2020 academic year admissions cycle when application submissions were 4,008, according to Erin Nelson, Psy. D., the Assistant Dean for Admissions at TCU and UNTHSC School of Medicine.

Some wondered whether COVID-19 motivated applicants to pursue medicine: “I can only attribute it to our school making it to the national stage and our innovative curriculum and all the other things we take pride in have gained notice around the country,” Dr. Nelson said.

Nationally, the interest in attending medical school for the 2021 academic year saw a huge spike of approximately 18% more applicants per school in comparison to the amount of people who applied to medical school in 2020, according to the American Medical College Application Service (AMCAS).

AMCAS processes most application submissions for medical schools in the United States. Prior the 2021 academic year, medical school application submissions had only increased by about 3% year-over-year in the past decade.

“For our numbers doubling 100 percent and not 18 percent, that’s a pretty significant addition to us,” Dr. Nelson said.

Another first for the Fort Worth M.D. school during recruiting for the 2021 academic year was that international students were able to apply. International applicants hailed from Africa, Europe and several other countries.

The medical school also received applications from all 50 U.S. states and Puerto Rico.

“It was really heartening to see our interest not just on a national level, but on a global level,” Dr. Nelson said.

The Fort Worth medical school’s  unique private-public partnership between Texas Christian University and the University of North Texas Health Science Center aims to prepare students to be compassionate physicians, excellent caregivers and prepared to meet the challenges of the rapid advances in medicine.

The TCU and UNTHSC School of Medicine opened with a class of 60 students in July 2019. TCU and UNTHSC joined together in July 2015 to form this new allopathic medical school. The Fort Worth medical school’s focus on communication, a first-of-its-kind curriculum and the development of Empathetic Scholars^TM uniquely positions the organization to radically transform medical education, improving care for future generations.

The curriculum is designed to transform medical education. It does this in several ways by incorporating communications training throughout the entire curriculum, pairing students with patients and physicians from their first day in a Longitudinal Integrated Clerkship, world-class simulation and technology and encourage students to be life-long learners capable of critical inquiry and medical information literacy through their scholarly thesis and pursuit.

Dear TCU and UNTHSC School of Medicine, 

I remember how special it was to get a phone call from you congratulating me on my acceptance. I had just finished a long shift at Chick-fil-A and was gearing up to cover the night shift at the hospital as a medical scribe. To say I was ecstatic when I received your call would be an understatement.  

You see, I was fortunate to have been interviewed at multiple medical schools during the crazy medical school application process and so was able to clearly see the differences in what medical schools valued most. Some schools boasted strong research programs believing that these were what makes the best doctors, others bragged about how their curriculum kept churning out alumni that became political powerhouses, and still others emphasized their high match rates in incredibly competitive specialties. But you were different. During interview day you emphasized what you thought was most important in future doctors: empathy and compassion. You addressed the reality of physician burnout head-on and prioritized the mental health of your students. The feeling I got from each of your admissions committee members was one of warmth and excitement instead of the feeling of competition that I felt during other interviews. So despite these other great choices, I chose you.  

I am now a second year medical student and am even more sure of my decision to come here for medical school. Thanks to you I have been able to have many hospital and clinical experiences in surgery, internal medicine, psychiatry, family medicine, Obstetrics and gynecology, Emergency Medicine and pediatrics despite only being a second year medical student. In each specialty, I am able to work side by side with fantastic doctors who are not only willing to teach me medicine, but also advise me on how to move forward along this rigorous path. The early exposure to real patients has opened my eyes to all the different facets of medicine and made it easier for me to determine what specialties and pathway I want to take and what I want my future career to look like as a practicing physician.  

So thank you, TCU and UNTHSC School of Medicine – you rock! 

With much love, 

Mei Mei Edwards, MS-2