College of Medicine Honors Three Local Physicians

For Immediate Release
April 16, 2004
Preceptorship Awards
Contact: John Holder at (979) 458-0669
Office of Communications
The Texas A&M University System Health Science Center
http://tamhsc.edu
College of Medicine Honors Three Local Physicians
The Texas A&M University System Health Science Center College of Medicine held its annual Preceptor Appreciation Dinner on Tuesday, March 30, at the Messina Hof Winery. The purpose of the event, which was put on by the College of Medicine’s department of family and community medicine, was to honor the efforts of Brazos Valley area physicians who have served in the O.C. Cooper Preceptorship Program as preceptors over the past year to second-year medical students. In addition, the dinner provided an opportunity for recognition of College of Medicine clinician faculty members and preceptors who have completed five, 10, 20 and 25 years of service.
The O.C. Cooper Preceptorship Program, named in memory of Dr. Cooper, a longtime College of Medicine faculty member and local physician, involves preceptor physicians who provide mentoring and teaching services to these students, allowing the students to work with them in their offices and local hospitals and showing them how to interact with patients. The program gives students a “sneak preview” of what to expect when they begin their clinical education in the third year, and of their future careers in practice.
Honored this year as Preceptors of the Year were:
· Manuel José, M.D., Internal Medicine – Primary Care Preceptor of the Year
· Wade Richardson, M.D., Family Medicine – Primary Care Preceptor of the Year
· Richard Cashion, M.D., Cardiology – Elective Preceptor of the Year
Preceptors of the Year were chosen on the basis of student evaluations of the physicians participating in the program. Students rate and provide comments about their experience in the program after working with preceptor physicians. Honorees are those preceptor physicians who consistently receive the highest ratings and most positive comments.
Featured guest speaker at the Preceptor Appreciation Dinner was Nancy W. Dickey, M.D., president of the A&M Health Science Center and vice chancellor for health affairs for the A&M System. Christopher C. Colenda, M.D., M.P.H., dean of the College of Medicine, welcomed attendees to the dinner. Rachel Bramson, M.D., and Robert M. Wiprud, M.D., co-directors of the preceptorship program, made opening and closing remarks respectively. Glen Couchman, M.D., interim head of the department of family medicine, introduced Dr. Dickey and invited preceptors to participate in the Central Texas Practice-Based Research Network.
In addition to award certificates, each of this year’s Preceptors of the Year received a complimentary one-night stay at one of three Texas bed-and-breakfast establishments.
On hand to receive recognition for 20 years of service to the college were Stephen Braden, M.D., Haywood J. Robinson, M.D., and Noreen Z. Johnson, M.D. Other College of Medicine faculty members (not present) who have completed 20 years of service include Nalini M. Dave, M.D., Kumud S. Tripathy, M.D., and G. Mark Montgomery, M.D.
George R. McIlhaney, M.D., was honored for 25 years of service to the College of Medicine.
The Texas A&M University System Health Science Center provides the state with health education, outreach and research. Its five components located in communities throughout Texas are Baylor College of Dentistry, the College of Medicine, the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, the Institute of Biosciences and Technology and the School of Rural Public Health.
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