Dennis Bente, an associate professor in the department of microbiology and immunology, received an Innovations in Health Science Education Award from the University of Texas System’s Kenneth Shine, MD, Academy of Health Science Education. Bente was honored for his development of the scenario-based Infectious Disease Outbreak Response course, an intensive three-day, one-hour elective course for students focused on applying theoretical knowledge of infectious diseases to real-life situations.
The course addressed where the biomedical scientist “fits” in the public health issues and crisis situations that arise when there is an emerging virus or infectious disease epidemic. Bente developed the course after being inspired by the Scholars in Education program of the Academy of Master Teachers at the medical branch.
Townsend receives Lifetime Achievement Award
Dr. Courtney Townsend, professor and Robertson-Poth Distinguished Chair in General Surgery in the department of surgery, received the Academy of Master Clinicians’ inaugural Lifetime Achievement Award. The award recognizes a clinician who has 20 or more years of contribution with most of that time at the medical branch, and has provided outstanding clinical care over the years of their career.
UTMB receives national stroke and resuscitation awards
The medical branch in Galveston has received two recognitions from the American Heart Association and the American Stroke Association for the institution’s success in using the Get With The Guidelines Program. The recognitions include:
Get With The Guidelines — Resuscitation Gold Award for implementing specific quality-improvement measures outlined by the American Heart Association for the treatment of adult patients who have cardiac arrest in a hospital. To qualify for the award, hospitals must comply with the quality measures for two or more consecutive years. This designation marks the medical branch’s fourth consecutive year.
Get With The Guidelines — Stroke Silver Plus Quality Achievement Award that recognizes a hospital’s commitment and success in ensuring stroke patients receive the most appropriate treatment according to nationally recognized, research-based guidelines based on the latest scientific evidence. To receive the Silver Plus Quality Achievement award, hospitals must achieve 85 percent or higher adherence to all Get With The Guidelines-Stroke achievement indicators for at least 12 consecutive months and during the same period achieve 75 percent or higher compliance with five of eight Get With The Guidelines-Stroke Quality measures.
UTMB launches new childbirth education course
The medical branch is starting a childbirth education course at the League City campus. The four-week course, which is open to all expecting moms whether a medical branch patient or not, includes information on preparing to give birth, coping with labor and birth, hospital practices, induction and augmentation of labor, medications, epidurals, caesarean birth, postpartum care, baby care and breast-feeding. The course will be held from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. every other month on Tuesdays. The cost is $100. For more information or to register for the course, visit https://utmb.us/1v7.