This year, UT Southwestern has also achieved the distinguished title of the No. 1 ranked hospital in Texas and once again holds the No. 1 position in the Dallas-Fort Worth region for the seventh consecutive year.

I am particularly pleased to share that Obstetrics & Gynecology ranks No. 43 for our specialty nationally, a recognition of our dedication to women's health. Moreover, our Gynecologic Oncology team received "high performing" ratings for ovarian cancer surgery and uterine cancer surgery. These recognitions affirm our commitment to excellence and patient-centered care.

These accolades are not only a cause for celebration but also a testament to our collective commitment to quality, service, and collaboration. They serve as an inspiration for us to continually strive for excellence in fulfilling our missions.

I extend my gratitude to both you, our dedicated faculty, as well as our dedicated nurses and staff who make these accomplishments possible through their unwavering dedication to exceptional patient care.

Thank you for all that you do.

Welcome our new team members! Make sure you say hello and introduce yourself.

PACT cards honor UT Southwestern employees and faculty who demonstrate superior organizational values through quality customer service. Recognition can come from managers, co-workers, internal or external customers, faculty, patients, or visitors.

The PACT program has three pin award levels: Blue (four PACT cards), Silver (eight PACT cards), and Gold (16 PACT cards). Submit a recognition online for UTSW members each time great service is noticed.

Congratulations to all our recipients!

Graduate Medical Education (GME) Professionals Day is Friday August 18th.

We celebrate the important contributions made by our GME Professionals who are critical to the success of our residency and fellowship programs. To recognize these professionals, please send an email or submit a PACT card to let them know their hard work doesn’t go unnoticed!

Lisa Gray, Kimberly Loggins, and Regina Williams promote the excellence in education in what they do, and they help make sure our GME programs are successful by helping when needed.

Congratulations to Dr. Kristen Warncke, PGY-3 resident, for the acceptation of her submission to the 2023 ACOG District XI Annual District Meeting in Houston.

Dr. Warncke's presentation titled, “Headache Turned Hepatomegaly" was accepted for the Stump the Professors session at the meeting in September. This is quite an honor as there were only a small number of submissions invited to present.

Congratulations -- and good luck -- to Dr. Warncke!

Alexis Allen spent the summer shadowing Dr. Kim Kho

A: My summer at UT Southwestern was more than amazing. Throughout the summer, I conducted research and shadowed many physicians and residents. It was fascinating to see the techniques and skills used by everyone while also gaining knowledge and wisdom from each experience. It was an honor to work under Dr. Kho and her team. This summer confirmed my love and passion for obstetrics and gynecology.

A: I attend Meharry Medical College and I am pursuing a Doctor of Medicine degree.

A: This summer was filled with many amazing projects and tasks, but my favorite of them all would be the surgical ergonomics training video. Although this project challenged me, I enjoyed the opportunity to learn, collaborate, and broaden my research skills.

A: I was very surprised to learn how many surgeons experience chronic pain due to their job. Along with this, many do not report said pain. Moving forward, I think it is important for physicians to prioritize their health for both them and their patients.

A: As I continue my journey through medical school, I plan to gain more research experience and leadership roles in obstetrics and gynecology. This specialty is a passion of mine, and my ultimate goal is to make a wider impact in this field.

A: I would like to thank Dr. Kho, Dr. Young, Dr. Spong, and Mrs. Latham for their guidance, encouragement, and mentorship throughout this summer.

Areyana Stigler interned with Dr. David Nelson

A: Primarily during this internship, I worked on the PCORI grant project, more specifically on the Video Team of the effort. The project focuses on educating patients about post-partum care and what signs to look for to go back to the hospital immediately.

A: I currently attend Prairie View A&M University pursuing a degree in Biology.

A: My favorite project has been working with the Video team of the PCORI grant.

A: My proudest moment during this internship was during the showing portion when I successfully identified fetal anatomy by looking at a sonograph.

A: The next step for me is completing my MCAT and preparing to apply to medical schools.

Ghazal Yadav interned with Dr. Jaya Lea

A: I am currently participating in a Healthcare Summer Scholars program, a 10-week internship designed for both undergraduate and graduate students. This program pairs interns with clinical, administrative, or research positions within various departments. For my internship, I joined Dr. Lea and the Division of Gynecologic Oncology as a clinical intern. Overall, my internship journey has been a mixture of unexpected twists and valuable learning opportunities.

A: I'm a sophomore at Texas A&M University studying Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience. I'm also incredibly grateful to be a part of TAMU's Science to Medicine BS/MD program, wherein I will be matriculating into TAMU College of Medicine in 2026.

A: I embarked on an extensive review of existing literature on Tumor Boards, seeking to explore the evolution of their format and impact on patient outcomes. This review revealed a crucial research gap: while much of the literature simply emphasizes the benefits of Tumor Boards on patient outcomes, there is a need to go beyond this perspective, especially considering their widespread mandate.

While my internship allowed me the privilege of shadowing patient interactions in both in-patient and out-patient clinics, as well as witnessing surgeries in the operating room, I firmly believe that this project has been the most enriching experience in the field of Gynecologic Oncology. I hope to join Dr. Lea in turning this into a research publication.

A: I expected my takeaways from this internship to be strictly in relation to medicine and my future career as a physician. Surprisingly, I discovered that this experience provided valuable insights into my character and personality as well. Ultimately, this internship provided me with a holistic learning experience, encompassing both medical knowledge and personal development. I am now more confident in my ability to advocate for myself, communicate effectively with superiors, and seek the support I need to succeed in my future endeavors.

A: I go back to school in a couple of weeks, but I'll be going back with a different mindset. My experiences this summer will enable me to approach my education with a newfound understanding of why I seek to pursue medicine. I was drawn to the opportunity of interning in Ob/Gyn because of my previous experience advocating and lobbying for the Period Movement at Texas Lege and my deep interest in enhancing healthcare accessibility as a future physician. During my time with the Gyn Onc division, I was exposed to the stark realities of healthcare inequity that many individuals endure.

Witnessing firsthand the consequences of limited healthcare access, both in terms of Gyn Onc and L&D, was eye-opening. The impact of previous socioeconomic conditioning on their hesitancy to engage with the healthcare system resulted in worse prognoses compared to those who could access cancer screenings more frequently.

This real-world experience has further solidified my commitment to becoming a physician-activist. I am determined to play an active role in shaping legislation that positively affects the patient community, particularly considering the rapidly changing political landscape in Texas today.

As I continue my journey towards becoming a physician, I am more inspired than ever to address healthcare disparities head-on. By advocating for policies that promote equitable access to healthcare services, I aim to make a difference in the lives of those who face systemic barriers to quality care. Through my dual role as a physician and an advocate, I hope to contribute significantly to creating a more inclusive healthcare system for all.

She was previously director of the Division of Member Services at the American College of Surgeons, and prior to joining the College, Dr. Turner spent eight years in full-time academic practice on the faculty of the University of Maryland School of Medicine, where she was the surgery residency program director.

We look forward to sharing more information with you about this exciting event in the coming weeks and hope to see you on September 13.

Faculty who are renewing their Drug Enforcement Administration license are required to complete CME training in the treatment and management of patients with opioid and other substance use disorders. One opportunity to complete this requirement (and at no cost) is linked below:

Link: https://knowledgeplus.nejm.org/cme-moc/pain-management-and-opioids-cme/

The UT Southwestern Clinical Heart and Vascular Center and Dr. Sonia Garg, the local Principal Investigator of the NIH REBIRTH study, are actively enrolling eligible patients to join this transformative research endeavor.

We are enrolling newly diagnosed women > 18 years of age with peripartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM) within 5 months postpartum with an assessed LVEF < 0.35. Women who meet eligibility criteria but wish to breastfeed will be eligible for participation in the observational cohort.

This objective of this important study is to determine the impact of bromocriptine therapy on myocardial recovery and subsequent clinical outcomes in a placebo controlled double blind randomized trial of women newly diagnosed with peripartum cardiomyopathy.

If you know of any potential participants or have further questions, please reach out to Allison Moore at 877-391-1528 or Dr. Sonia Garg at 248-872-3067.

More information here.

If you have not taken an official UTSW headshot since 2019, please sign up for your free headshot session.

Pictured: Mary Ellen Culbreth, Senior Administrative Assistant II