Francisco named chair
of UT Medical School at Houston’s PM&R department
HOUSTON – (June 1, 2009) – Gerard E. Francisco, M.D., has been named chairman of the Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation at The University of Texas Medical School at Houston. Giuseppe Colasurdo, M.D., dean of the school, made the announcement upon the completion of a national search.
Gerard E. Francisco, M.D.
“Dr. Francisco has demonstrated incredible talent during the past several months as interim chair and has shown his strong commitment to advance the already accomplished academic and clinical programs at TIRR Memorial Hermann,” Colasurdo said.
Francisco said he is looking forward to contributing to the growth of the Medical School and being an active partner in strengthening the relationship between UT and Memorial Hermann. His appointment is a dual role that includes being chief medical officer at TIRR Memorial Hermann.
“My plans include expanding the clinical programs at TIRR Memorial Hermann and Lyndon B. Johnson General Hospital and leading a department where each and every faculty will be a champion for quality and safe patient care,” he said.
Francisco joined the faculty in 1997 and served as vice chair since 2006 and as the interim chair since last August when William H. Donovan, M.D., retired. Francisco is the program director for the residency program in Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation and the fellowship in Brain Injury and Stroke Rehabilitation.
“My goals also will focus on further strengthening our training programs so that we may be a national leader in innovative educational methods,” he said. “By recruiting researchers and collaborating with other clinical and basic science investigators within the Texas Medical Center, we will promote sustainable growth in research in neurorehabilitation and physical medicine.”
Only the second chair to lead the department, Francisco specializes in brain injury and stroke rehabilitation and spasticity management. He earned his medical degree form the University of the Phillippines. His internship was at Michael Reese Hospital in Chicago, and he completed his residency in physical medicine and rehabilitation at the University of Medicine and Dentistry-New Jersey Medical School, where he was chief resident. He completed a postdoctoral fellowship in brain injury rehabilitation at Baylor College of Medicine.