Issue #717, September 8, 2009

Topics at a glance: Annual Vacation and Sick Carry Forward ... Research Day 2009 ... UT Health Center Extended Hours ... Automated Directory Change ... Upcoming University Community Events ... UTSPH Colloquium ... EOHS Research Seminar Series ... Demystifying the IRB Process ... Geriatric and Palliative Medicine RsVP Program ... Rec Sports ... Special Surplus Items ... SPH Continuing Education ... CCTS Lecture Series ... Family & Community Medicine Grand Rounds ... Students' Insurance Coverage ... CHAMP Workshop – Geriatric Medicine ... 2nd Annual Hemophilia Walk ... HAM-TMC Library Classes ... Rice Football Tickets Discount ... Bike Trail Closed for Construction ... TMC Parking System Conversion Update ... WorkLife Wellness Tip of the Week

Annual Vacation and Sick Carry Forward

Maximum vacation and sick leave balances will carry over in the Time Management System, Friday, Sept. 11, for the new fiscal year (FY). After this date, employees will be able to view FY10 vacation and sick balances, including allowable carry forward amounts from FY09, which ended Aug. 31.

Please be sure that all hours, including used leave hours, are reported correctly and timely in order to avoid violations of University policy and state law.

For more information, contact Linda.F.Gillespie@uth.tmc.edu, 713-500-3872.

Research Day 2009

The UT Health Science Center’s annual Research Day, “Engines of Discovery” will take place, Friday, Nov. 20, at the Fayez S. Sarofim Research Building of The Brown Foundation Institute of Molecular Medicine for the Prevention of Human Diseases. The event will include a faculty seminar followed by student and postdoctoral poster presentations. Prizes will be awarded at the end of the session. The deadline for students and fellows to register is Thursday, Oct. 15.

Visit the Office of Research for guidelines and more details.

UT Health Center Extended Hours

UT Health Center will now open from 8 a.m. – noon, Saturdays, beginning Sept. 12. UT Health Center, operated by UT Physicians, the medical practice of the faculty of The University of Texas Medical School at Houston, offers primary and specialty care for adults and accepts nearly all managed care plans.

UT Health Center is conveniently located at 6700 West Loop South, Suite 520, in Bellaire and open from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m., Monday – Friday. Parking is free and available in the adjoining parking garage.

To make an appointment, visit UT Health Center or call 713-572-8122.

Automated Directory Change

The automated telephone directory system that answers 713-500-4HSC (4472) will be discontinued on Friday, Sept. 18. After this date, calls to this number will be redirected to an off campus operator service for assistance. This 24-hour multilingual service is familiar with our community and allows you to speak with a live person. Employees are urged to use the online campus directory for local telephone numbers.

Upcoming University Community Events

Fun Fest

Learn more about Fun Fest – the major fall event for the entire health science center community – from 2 – 6 p.m., Friday, Oct. 23, at Texas Medical Center – Grant Fay Park.

The 17th Annual Scholarship Golf Classic

Attention golfers! Learn more about the 17th Annual Scholarship Golf Classic – held this year at 10 a.m., Monday, Oct. 19, at Palmers Golf Course in The Woodlands. This year's celebrity chair is country singer, Clay Walker.

The American Heart Walk

Save the date for the American Heart Walk, 8:30 a.m., Saturday, Nov. 7, 2009, at Sam Houston Park in downtown Houston.

For more information about university community events, contact Rose.M.Betancourt-Trevino@uth.tmc.edu , 713-500-3209.

UTSPH Colloquium

The School of Public Health will present a colloquium from noon – 1 p.m., Wednesday, Sept. 9, in RAS Auditorium. Mark Hayward, Ph.D, director of Population Research Center and professor of Sociology at the University of Texas at Austin, will present “Childhood Nutritional Deprivation and Cognitive Impairment among Older Adults in China.” Lunch will be provided to the first 50 attendees. Learn more about the Fall 2009 Colloquium.

For more information, contact Peggy.L.Powell@uth.tmc.edu, 713-500-9230.

EOHS Research Seminar Series

The Division of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences will host a research seminar series featuring, “Contaminations of U.S. Food with Classical and Emerging Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs)," presented by Arnold Schecter, M.D., MPH, professor, UT School of Public Health at Houston. This presentation is scheduled to take place from noon – 1 p.m., Friday, Sept. 11, in SPH Room 102B. Lunch will be provided for the first 50 attendees.

For more information, contact Maria.Arias@uth.tmc.edu, 713-500-9266.

Demystifying the IRB Process

Have you ever wondered what happens to your protocol once you submit it to the Institutional Review Board (IRB)? Enhance your understanding of the Committee for Protection of Human Services review and approval process by attending “Demystifying the IRB Process”, a monthly seminar series. This month’s seminar will take place from 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. in UTDB 1100.55:

• Sept. 15 - “Introduction to the UTHSC-H Human Subjects Protection Program,”
  presented by Robert Nobles, DrPH, associate director of the Office of Research Support Committees.

Lunch will be provided for the first 25 attendees. Register online to attend. For more information, contact Madelene.J.Ottosen@uth.tmc.edu, 713-500-7910

Division of Geriatric and Palliative Medicine RsVP Program

The newly formed Reynolds Visiting Professor Program (RsVP) will present its first in a series of lectures, 6:30 p.m., Thursday, Sept. 24, in MSB 2.103. Mindy Fain, M.D., the University of Arizona Medical Center, Tucson, will present, “Death by Bedrest: Deconditioning in the elderly.”

Dr. Fain is the co-director of the Arizona Center on Aging, the director of the Arizona Reynolds Program of Applied Geriatrics and the director of the Arizona Geriatric Education Center. Dinner will follow this lecture at 7:30 p.m. The event is free and offers one hour of CME credit.

To attend this program or for more information, contact Rhonda.Bailes@uth.tmc.edu.

Rec Sports

Co-ed Soccer

Registration for the 6 on 6 co-ed soccer tournament is open through Sept. 22. The tournament will take place at the Rec Center on Sept. 30 and Oct. 1. Registration fee is $10 for UTHSC-H students or members of the Rec Center, $15 for all others.

Racquetball Tournament

Registration for men’s and women’s racquetball tournament is open through Sept. 15. The tournament will take place at the Rec Center on Sept. 23 and 24. Registration fee is $3 for students or members of the Rec Center, $5 for all others.

Learn more about the Rec Center’s fall schedule. For more information, contact Kelly.McNamara@uth.tmc.edu, 713-500-8422.

Special Surplus Items Available

See special items available in Surplus for the UT Community. These items are generally unique and of a higher than average value. If you have any questions, contact warehouse supervisor, Brad.Beggan@uth.tmc.edu , 713-500-4870..

SPH Continuing Education

The Southwest Center for Occupational & Environmental Health is pleased to present the EHS Academy, providing a solid foundation from which you can understand and manage your institution's environmental health and safety issues. Limited HBCU/MI scholarships are available. The schedule includes:

• “Comprehensive Environmental Health & Safety for Educational Institutions,” directed by Robert Emery, DrPH, executive director for Health & Safety,
  8 a.m. – 5 p.m., Sept. 14 – 18, in the UT Operations Center Building Rio Grande Room.

For more information, contact Vickie.L.Mason@uth.tmc.edu, 713-500-9451.

CCTS Lecture Series

The Center for Clinical and Translational Sciences presents the following lecture series, noon – 1 p.m., Thursdays throughout September, in the University Professional Building, 11th floor:

• Sept. 10 – “Validation of Electronic Record Systems: An introduction to 21 CFR 11 compliance,” presented by Patrick Curfman, validation manager, Information Technology.
• Sept. 17 – “Cardiovascular Disease and Diabetes: Lessons from BARI 2D Trial,” presented by Francisco Fuentes, M.D., professor, Internal Medicine, Cardiology, UT Medical School at Houston.
• Sept. 24 – “Translating Results from Large Clinical Trials to the Community – the ALLHAT Experience,” presented by Barry Davis, M.D., Ph.D, professor of Biostatistics, director, Coordinating Center for Clinical Trials, UT School of Public Health at Houston.

Lunch will be provided for the first 20 attendees. Please take advantage of the train or bus, CCTS will be unable to reimburse parking. For more information, contact Linda.N.Gilbert@uth.tmc.edu.

Family & Community Medicine Grand Rounds

The UT Medical School presents the Family & Community Medicine Grand Rounds, 1 – 2 p.m., Wednesdays throughout September, in MSB 2.135. This month’s theme is neurology and includes:

• Sept. 9 – “Headache,” presented by Raymond Martin, M.D., professor in the Department of Neurology, UT Medical School at Houston.
• Sept. 16 – “Neuromuscular Disorders,” presented by Parveen Athar, M.D., assistant professor in the Department of Neurology, UT Medical School at Houston.
• Sept. 23 – “Parkinson Video,” presented by Gage Van Horn, M.D., professor in the Department of Neurology, UT Medical School at Houston.

For more information, contact Carolyn.Love@uth.tmc.edu, 713-500-7604.

Students' Insurance Coverage

Students who would like to waive their university health insurance coverage because they already are covered under another policy must submit their request by the following deadlines:

• Dental postgrads – Sept. 10 ($401 fee)
• MDA students – Sept. 10 ($398 fee)
• Academic students – Sept. 16 ($395 fee)

Please review your bill closely on UTLINK. To make changes, fill out your Student Health Insurance Confirmation form. Do not complete this form if you are purchasing United Health Insurance as assessed on your student fee bill.

For more information, contact student-insurance@uth.tmc.edu, 713-500-8400.

CHAMP Workshop – Geriatric Medicine

The Geriatric and Palliative Medicine Program will be offering a free two-day workshop, 8 a.m. – 4:15 p.m., Sept. 10, in MSB B.605, and continued from 8 a.m. – 1 p.m., Sept. 11, in MSB 3.001. The workshop, titled, “Care of the Hospitalized Aging Medical Patient” (CHAMP) was designed by the University of Chicago to teach non-geriatric faculty how to incorporate geriatric teaching at the bedside with students, residents and other learners in the hospital setting. Earn free CME credit.

Topics will include: Delirium, Depression and Dementia; Medications and the Elderly Patient; Goals of Care; Falls; End-of-Life Issues; Symptoms and Pain Management, and others.

For more information or to register, contact Rhonda.Bailes@uth.tmc.edu.

2nd Annual Hemophilia Walk

The Lone Star Chapter of the National Hemophilia Foundation and the Gulf States Hemophilia and Thrombophilia Center invite you to join the 2nd annual Hemophilia Walk, 10 a.m., Saturday, Sept. 19, at Minute Maid Park, to raise funds and awareness for the bleeding and clotting disorders community. Registration for this 3K walk begins at 9 a.m. the day of the event or register online.

HAM-TMC Library Classes

The HAM-TMC Library offers these upcoming classes:

• Excel 2007 Intermediate – 10 a.m. – noon, Sept. 9
• Word 2007 – 10 a.m. – noon, Sept. 10
• Nursing Online Resources – 10 – 11:30 a.m., Sept. 15
• Excel 2007 Basic – 2 – 4:30 p.m., Sept. 15

All classes are free and offered in the library classroom. View the complete class schedule and register.

Rice Football Tickets Discount

The Rice Athletic department would like to invite all TMC employees out to the Rice Owls football home opener at 7 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 26, against the Vanderbilt Commodores at Rice Stadium. Tickets located on the upper deck between the 30 – 50 yard lines are reduced to $10 per ticket for TMC employees. Use promo code TMCNeighbor when purchasing your tickets online. The Tailgate Owley is free to enter and offers live music, inflatables, a rock wall and concessions for all ages.

To purchase tickets by phone, call 713-522-6957.

Bike Trail Closed for Construction

The lower Brays Bayou trail near the Texas Medical Center will be closed through June 2010 because of construction of a pipe bridge across the waterway. Bicyclists, joggers and walkers who use the lower trail to commute to the TMC or for recreation will have to detour to the upper trail from Greenbriar to Fannin, use the sidewalk on Fannin to Pressler, travel along Pressler to Braeswood, then Braeswood to Holcombe to connect back to the trail.

TMC Parking System Conversion Update

TMC is continuing their parking equipment conversion. Over the next several weeks and months, those of you who park in a TMC lot or garage will receive a new access card. Some of you have already received your new card. Your access card will arrive via interoffice mail. Please see the list below for conversion dates.

Please remember to keep your old parking card during the transition of the entire campus as it will be needed when parking on campus at nights and on weekends. This has been one of the biggest issues the conversion process has faced.

If your parking area is scheduled for conversion within the next week and you have not received your new parking card, please contact parking@uth.tmc.edu or call the Texas Medical Center at 713-747-7275.

If you have any questions regarding this schedule or the conversion process, contact Eve Grubb at 713-791-6149.

WorkLife Wellness Tip of the Week

The American Heart Walk is right around the corner… pun intended, at 9 a.m., Saturday, Nov. 7 at Sam Houston Park in downtown Houston. Join UTHSC-H in the American Heart Walk to fight stroke and heart disease. Following a ceremony, the 5 mile non-competitive walk will begin at 9:30 a.m. The route has multiple turn around points for anyone unable to complete the entire walk. Family members and dogs are welcome.

If you would like assistance in establishing a walking (exercise) program for yourself, call and make an appointment with Wellness Coach Sam Hester, cWC, CPT, LWMC, at 713-500-3327. It's confidential and free. For more information on the wellness services provided, visit UT Counseling and WorkLife Services.