“As a novel medical school, we had to find an equally innovative approach to communicate our school’s unique curriculum,” said Maricar Estrella, MBA, Director of Digital Development and Content Strategy at the Burnett School of Medicine at TCU, who founded the program.
A committee consisting of faculty and staff evaluates and selects students who apply to the program, which is voluntary.
The program has grown to include media training from local journalists such as CBS 11 Investigative Reporter Andrea Lucia, NBC 5 Sports Director Newy Scruggs, ’23 EMBA, and social media influencers such as J Mack Slaughter, Jr., M.D., an emergency medicine physician.
ARLINGTON, Texas – In 2024, Yvette Ngo and Thomas Ngo, of Arlington, faced a complicated childbirth and a tough diagnosis for their daughter Zoey.
During Yvette’s 20-week checkup, physicians at Baylor, Scott & White All Saints Medical Center in Fort Worth found abnormalities in Zoey’s anatomy scan.
Zoey was diagnosed with a birth defect called Trisomy 13 also known as Patau Syndrome. Trisomy 13 is a rare genetic disorder caused by the presence of an extra copy of chromosome 13. There is no cure for Trisomy 13 and most babies do not survive their first year of life.
“As a family, we really had to make hard decisions,” Yvette said.
To give the Ngo’s the best chance at meeting Zoey alive, their physicians recommended iron supplements to reduce the chances of Yvette having anemia. Anemia, a low blood count, could lead to a Severe Obstetric Complication (SOC) during birth and require a blood transfusion putting Yvette and Zoey at risk of death.
For women experiencing high-risk pregnancies like Yvette, access to clinical and support resources are crucial for a pregnant woman and infant’s survival. She would also need a healthcare team with simulations and management training for Zoey’s complicated birth.
Connecting with moms early in their pregnancies and getting them resources for complicated births is something the newly formed Maternal Health Accelerator (MHA) is making available for all pregnant women in North Texas.
Giving pregnant women an iron supplement a day can increase their blood count to a point where they are not as anemic or they won’t be anemic at all, said Stuart D. Flynn, M.D., Founding Dean of Burnett School of Medicine at TCU and Lead Principal Investigator (PI) of the research study.
“What that translates into is when they bleed, they have a blood reservoir, so we don’t need to transfuse them,” Flynn said.
By using and distributing the iron supplements in our communities, “we’re able to reduce anemia in pregnant individuals and also have them have a delivery that’s safe,” Dr. Nelson said.
MHA is also creating standardized provider training to improve obstetric emergency outcomes during delivery and working on region-wide implementation of hemorrhage simulation training and standardized SOC documentation protocols across all partner hospital systems.
Yvette was able to tap into those types of resources to help with Zoey’s complicated birth.
Zoey was born safely on April 18, 2024. Although she only lived for 36 hours, the Ngos were able to say goodbye to the newborn and take family photos.
“We knew we wanted to do comfort care and just hold her and spend as much time as we could with her,” Yvette said. “No matter how long or short you have – even one day – it’s still a life worth celebrating.”
Maricar Estrella, MBA, Director of Digital Development and Content Strategy at the Burnett School of Medicine at TCU, receives the Volunteer of the Year Award at the GFW PRSA Worthy Awards on November 7, 2025 in Fort Worth.
Maricar Estrella, MBA, Director of Digital Development and Content Strategy was named the chapter’s Volunteer of the Year, and the following strategic communication programs and tactics were recognized:
L-R: Lewis Jackson, Maricar Estrella and Prescotte Stokes III received the External Video Worthy Award, the top honor, at the Greater Fort Worth Public Relations Society of America’s 2025 Worthy Awards held on Friday, November, 7, 2025 in Fort Worth.
Burnett School of Medicine at TCU’s Mission Impossible Video: Lewis Jackson, Prescotte Stokes IIIand Maricar Estrella received the External Video Worthy Award, the top honor.
Burnett School of Medicine at TCU’s Tik Tok Reboot: My Journey to Medical School Campaign: Lewis Jackson,Kayla Scopaz and Maricar Estrella received an Award of Excellence in the Social Media/Digital Communications category.
On the Move Newsletter
The team also received a Best of District IV Award from the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) for the Burnett School of Medicine’s On the Move Newsletter, which was produced by Maricar Estrella, Judy Bernas, Gorland Mar and Alisa Meriwether.
Prescotte Stokes III and Maricar Estrella at the 2025 Pegasus Awards in Dallas on Nov. 14, 2025.
Two of the team’s projects were named finalists in the PRSA Dallas chapter’s Pegasus Awards:
Burnett School of Medicine at TCU’s Mission Impossible Video by Lewis Jackson, Prescotte Stokes III and Maricar Estrella
Burnett School of Medicine at TCU’s 2025 Match Day Event by Amy Estes, Judy Bernas, Gorland Mar, Maricar Estrella, Lewis Jackson, Prescotte Stokes III, Kimberly Head, and Kayla Scopaz.
The Mission Impossible video received an Award of Honor at the Pegasus Awards in Dallas on Nov. 14.
The Burnett School of Medicine at TCU’s Communication and Strategy team celebrate at the GFW PRSA Worthy Awards on November 7, 2025 in Fort Worth.
FORT WORTH – More than 100 physicians, clinicians, and researchers filled the Amon G. Carter Inspiration Commons Learning Studio at Anne Burnett Marion School of Medicine at Texas Christian University showing off the power of collaboration in research.
There has been a wonderful transformation in how TCU approaches research with the medical school becoming a bigger part of that mission, Greg Kearns, PharmD, Ph.D., Associate Dean for Research at Burnett School of Medicine said.
Research is “capturing the minds of our students and the minds of other faculty. That tells me that research is alive and well and it’s going to keep growing,”Kearns said.
There were 48 research posters presented during the 2nd annual Burnett School of Medicine at TCU Faculty Research Symposium. This year’s theme was inspiring the physicians of tomorrow through research, scholarship, and innovation.
Working on ground-breaking research is not done alone, according to Kayla Green, Ph.D., Associate Professor at Burnett School of Medicine at TCU.
“I think it’s a misconception that the faculty are the ones who are doing the research,” Green said. “Faculty are the ones leading the research and putting the group together to implement the research.”
Her research group, called the Green Research Group, presented a poster titled “Antioxidant Small Molecules Targeting Alzhiemer’s, Cataracts and More!”
Their research is a collaborative effort between the Burnett School of Medicine, the TCU Chemistry and Biochemistry departments, and students. Jack Bonnell, MS2, is a member of Green’s research lab. He helped attendees learn more about their research.
“A faculty member has two hands and most of the time those hands are going to be employed writing grants and ensuring that papers are published in a timely manner,” Green said. “It’s the students who are asking the questions and who are creating new knowledge.”
The spirit of collaboration in research stretched beyond working with students. The variety of contributors in the posters presented included physicians and researchers from all the major health systems in Tarrant County. Eric Gonzales, Ph.D., Professor of Medical Education at Burnett School of Medicine presented his work with the Simulation and Technology team at the medical school.
His poster titled “Neuroscience Teaching Using 3D-Printed Models” looked at using 3D printed anatomical models for in-class use to enhance neuroanatomy learning outside of the cadaveric laboratory or the Microsoft HoloLens® and HoloAnatomy virtual reality suite used at the medical school.
The 3D printed models of the brain can be produced for roughly $10 per model in comparison to more than $500 from larger technology vendors, according to Gonzales. His models can be customized with labels and colors for use in small quizzes. This could be replicated and bridge the gap between people who are tactile learners and those who are visual learners in a classroom.
“They have sessions on slides, they have notes but maybe they need a three-dimensional model in their hands to help solidify their learning,” Gonzales said.
Learning to harness the power of research through collaboration can also be physicians working with organizations.
Terri Weinman, D.O., Assistant Professor at Burnett School of Medicine presented her poster on “The Implementation of a Perinatal Organ and Tissue Donor Program – Helping Families in Need” in collaboration with LifeGift.
Over the past three years, the lifesaving donations have provided patients with heart valves, biliary tree, liver, pancreas, kidneys with ureter, and femurs for research.
“I collaborated with LifeGift so that they can answer the family’s questions correctly,” Dr. Weinman said.
Dr. Weinman was one of four faculty members who were recognized with the 2025 Faculty Research Symposium Award, which is given to those with particularly outstanding poster presentations. A panel of evaluators recognized these four presentations:
Sarah Merchant, M.D., and Lynn Roppolo, M.D. (Emergency Medicine) – A Multi-Center Study on eFAST Longitudinal Learning Curves for EM Residents Using CUSUM Analysis
Eric Chou, M.D. (Emergency Medicine) – High-sensitivity Troponin as a Predictor for Major Adverse Cardiac Events in Chronic Kidney Disease Patients Presenting with Chest Pain
Terri Weinman, D.O. (Pediatrics) – The Implementation of a Perinatal Organ and Tissue Donor Program – Helping Families in Need
Charles West, M.D. (Surgery) – Structural Aortic Shift and Supra Aortic Angle Configuration Changes After Subclavian to Carotid Transposition as a Proposed Mechanism for Relief of Severe Esophageal Compression in Aberrant Subclavian Artery Anatomy
Having the medical school become more of a hub to support clinicians in Fort Worth to solve complex problems is a boon for the healthcare in the community, Kearns added.
“The process of discovery in clinical medicine with perplexing patient diagnosis requires a curious mind to find solutions,” Kearns said. “That’s what our faculty are bringing to these endeavors.”
In December 2022, Bailey went in for her 20-week scan. The physician told her Collins had severe ventriculomegaly. The condition is a birth defect in which fluid-filled ventricles in a growing child’s brain are significantly enlarged to more than 15 millimeters.
The birth defect can lead to a limited life diagnosis for an infant.
“You can’t help but think: What did I do wrong?” Bailey said. There was “basically no hope. She’s going to pass – it’s not an if, it’s when.”
The Kennedys lived in Fort Worth’s 76104 ZIP code, which has the highest infant mortality rate of any ZIP code in the United States with 19 infant deaths per 1,000 live births between 2011 and 2014, according to Tarrant County Public Health. The average U.S. infant mortality rate is 5.61 deaths per 1,000 live births.
Infant mortality is when a baby dies within the first 12 months after their birth.
“As Mayor you see the community for all its good and all the ugly,” Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker said.
One of the coalition’s initiatives is to improve morbidity and mortality rates in women and infants during complicated pregnancies by offering standardized provider training to improve obstetric emergency outcomes during delivery and have integrated postpartum support teams for high-risk mothers.
“We’re creating that closed-loop system and connecting moms with resources that often times a clinician is forced to go on to the next patient,” Mayor Parker said.
The Kennedys were able to access resources like what the MHIC is creating for all moms in North Texas for their daughter’s complicated birth. Collins was safely delivered on August 7, 2023.
“We’re very blessed,” Bailey said. “If she didn’t have the resources that she did she probably wouldn’t have made it.”
FORT WORTH – The Dallas Morning News featured Anne Burnett Marion School of Medicine at Texas Christian University faculty members Alison Dolce, M.D., Associate Professor of Clinical Sciences, and Andrea Lowden, M.D., Associate Professor of Clinical Sciences, in a story about a new study on brain health in children.
The study followed 73 alumni that left the Momentous School between 2016-2018 to see what percentage received a high school diploma and college degrees.
The study found 97% of the Momentous alumni received a high school diploma and 48% received a college degree. They compared those numbers to the National Student Clearinghouse High School Benchmarks Reports where 91% of the high-income students tracked from the same time that obtained a high school diploma, only 31% received a college degree.
Based on data about average lifetime earnings by education level from the U.S. Career Institute researchers expect the students from Momentous with a bachelor’s degree level to earn between $1.3 million and $2.7 million each over their lifetimes. Those projections are 26% higher than their high-income peers.
Dr. Dolce and Dr. Lowden shared their expertise in pediatric neurology with the Dallas Morning News on the age-appropriate neuroscience and mental health strategies used on students at Momentous School to create the study.
The story was featured nationally in several other publications including the New York Daily News, South Florida Sun Sentinel, The Baltimore Sun, Austin-American Statesman, and the Health Medicine Network.
Is Daylight Savings Time a health benefit or a health hazard?
From a medical science perspective, Cheryl Hurd, M.D., a board-certified psychiatrist, says Daylight Saving Time is a major disruption to the body.
“Daylight saving time isn’t just a clock change—it’s a health hazard,” said Dr. Hurd, a professor at Anne Burnett Marion School of Medicine at Texas Christian University. “That lost hour in spring disrupts circadian rhythms, raising risks for heart attacks, strokes, mood disorders and workplace accidents.”
In the new video series called “Explained in 60 Seconds.” Dr Hurd touches on the effects turning the clock backwards or forward has on teens, healthcare costs, workplace productivity, the economy, and saving energy.
Michelle Clatterbuck, a longtime TCU supporter and proud Horned Frog parent, is the Anne Burnett Marion School of Medicine at Texas Christian University’s challenge donor for TCU Gives Day 2025. She has generously committed $100,000 in honor of her daughter, Carter Clatterbuck, M.D. ’25, an Obstetrics-Gynecology resident at UT Southwestern Medical School in Dallas.
Inspired by the education, mentorship and support Carter received, Michelle established the Clatterbuck Family Endowed Medical School Scholarship in 2023. Her goal is to ensure students from all backgrounds have access to the same opportunities that shaped her daughter’s journey.
“TCU’s medical school is building something extraordinary,” Michelle said. “I wanted to help remove financial obstacles for students who will go on to serve their communities with compassion and excellence.”
Michelle recently retired from a 20-year career at Intuit, serving as chief financial officer from 2018 to 2023. With insight into both financial barriers and strategic investment, she understands that the cost of private medical education can be a major hurdle, especially for student whose diverse backgrounds are essential to the future of health care.
In a strong show of continued support, Michelle has added another $100,000 to her endowment and hopes to grow the fund to eventually cover full tuition for a student. She challenges the TCU community to join her on Gives Day by making gifts that support deserving students and help build a future generation of empathetic physicians.
Join the Burnett School of Medicine community as we come together for TCU Gives Day, the university’s annual celebration of generosity and impact, which runs through Noon on Oct. 8. Every gift— no matter the size — supports scholarships, enhances academic programs and fuels the journey of our Empathetic Scholars®.
The generous scholarship gift from anonymous donors, who are proud members of the TCU community, will cover tuition costs for the Spring 2026 semester for the class.
“This transformative gift allows these students to really focus on choosing a medical specialty that resonates with them and puts them in the best position to help their future patients,” said Stuart D. Flynn, M.D., Founding Dean of Burnett School of Medicine at TCU. “It also is a valuable demonstration of paying it forward. It teaches our students the importance of giving back as they move forward in their careers.”
The class of 2026 is currently in the final phase of the Burnett School of Medicine’s unique Empathetic Scholar® curriculum. They are currently participating in clinical rotations across the United States as they prepare to interview for coveted residency spots.
The news of the scholarship gift was announced via Zoom by Dean Flynn who relayed a personal message to the medical students from the donors.
“The donors hope that this alleviates some of the financial stress of being a medical student and allows you to make the best choices possible as you head into residency,” Dean Flynn said.
Cort Ewing, a fourth-year medical student at Burnett School of Medicine, was surprised by the announcement, and he’s grateful to the anonymous donors for the gift.
“I think that it’s really inspiring, and I’m really grateful that we have people here to support us,” Ewing said. “I can’t wait until I’m in a position one day to do that for the school and for future students.”
Courtney Franz, a fourth-year medical student, added that this scholarship gift helps her to focus on serving patients.
“This is just one less thing that you have to carry with you every day,” Franz said. “I can just really focus on caring for patients.”
The class of 2026 will learn their residency matches on Match Day, which is set for Friday, March 20 at 11 a.m. CST. Medical students from across the United States will learn their residency matches at the same time.
The first three Burnett School of Medicine graduating classes have had a 100% residency match rate. Those students started their medical careers at esteemed health care systems such as the Mayo Clinic, Johns Hopkins Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Stanford Health, and UT Southwestern Medical Center.
The three-part video series highlighted the work of Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker’s Tarrant County Maternal & Infant Health Coalition’s (MHIC) efforts with the Burnett School of Medicine at TCU along with universities, health systems, and community organizations to create maternal health programs in North Texas. The coalition is using medical research and novel access to care programs to improve maternal and infant health outcomes.
Stuart D. Flynn, M.D., the Founding Dean of Burnett School of Medicine at TCU, was featured in a story about the medical school’s iron pill research with UT Southwestern. It highlighted the benefits of UT Southwestern’s initial iron pill study with more than 13,000 patients at Parkland Health. The study showed about one-third of the pregnant women given iron supplements did not experience Severe Obstetric Complications (SOCs) that can be fatal during childbirth.
The Burnett School of Medicine plans to scale the research by providing free iron supplements to pregnant women across North Texas. It will help improve maternal morbidity and reduce poor outcomes for moms and infants during and after childbirth.
