School of Medicine Commencement

Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center (TTUHSC) President Tedd L. Mitchell, M.D., and Steven L. Berk, M.D., TTUHSC executive vice president, provost and dean of the School of Medicine, presided over the school’s commencement ceremony May 19. More than 135 medical students received their medical doctor degrees.

Berk said commencement is an exciting time for faculty, students and family members.

“As the dean, I have witnessed their journey these past four years, and now have the honor of experiencing the celebration of all their hard work,” Berk said. “These graduates have received an exceptional education and have endless possibilities of contributing to patient care and research across this country.”

Awards presented were the following:

• The Gold Headed Cane Award is a symbol for excellence in the art of medicine and in the care of patients. This student was selected by faculty and students as the individual who best exemplifies those attributes most desirable in the competent and caring physician — Meera Subash
• The 2014 Dean’s Recognition Award for the School of Medicine — Gregory Walker and Lela Ruck
• Dean’s Highest Academic Achievement — Christina Walker
• The John Aure Buesseler, M.D., Founding Dean Memorial Award for Teaching Excellence — Jim Hutson, Ph.D.
• The John Aure Buesseler, M.D., Founding Dean Memorial Award for Student Excellence — Marie Pfarr

Bernard A. Harris Jr., M.D., astronaut, entrepreneur and president of the Harris Foundation, gave the commencement address. Harris, a graduate of the TTUHSC School of Medicine, was at NASA for 10 years. Harris was a mission specialist on the Space Shuttle Columbia STS-55/Spacelab D-2 in 1993. As payload commander on Space Shuttle Discovery STS-63 in 1995, he served on the first flight of the joint Russian-American Space Program, becoming the first African American to walk in space. As a veteran astronaut, he has logged more than 438 hours and traveled more than 7.2 million miles in space.

Harris is the CEO and managing partner of Vesalius Ventures Inc., a venture capital firm, that invest in early to mid-stage health care technologies and companies. He also is the founder of the Harris Foundation, a non profit organization that supports math/science education and crime prevention programs for America's youth.

For more breaking news and experts, follow @ttuhscnews on Twitter.

Related Stories

Noise-Induced Hearing Loss in Rural Adolescents

Leigh Ann Reel, Au.D., Ph.D., CCC-A, discussed the causes and prevention strategies for noise-induced hearing loss, particularly for adolescents in rural areas.

Willed Body Memorial Service Honors Those Who Donated

On Memorial Day each May, a service is conducted at the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center Institute of Anatomical Sciences to pay respect to the Willed Body Program donors and their families.

Molecular Pathology Preceptorship: Unmatched Value and Experience

Ericka Hendrix, PhD, MB(ASCP)CM, Program Director and Associate Professor in the Master of Science in Molecular Pathology program in the School of Health Professions spoke about the program’s preceptorship.

Recent Stories

Research

Logsdon Receives Grant to Study Vascular Side of Traumatic Brain Injuries

Supported by a three-year, $578,211 grant from the National Institutes of Health-National Institute on Aging, Aric F. Logsdon, Ph.D., will study how brain endothelial cells, or blood vessels within the brain, handle the stressors of neuroinflammation.

Health

Historic collaboration brings shipping container-based health care clinic to Jeff Davis County

Texas A&M Health and TTUHSC joined with the student-led organization, Texas A&M BUILD—along with local leadership and other collaborators—to unveil a new, innovative medical care facility for a Trans-Pecos region rural community: a 40-foot, retro-fitted shipping container.

Research

Improving Health Care Access, Education Through Research

The service area for TTUHSC, a recognized leader in academic health and biomedical research training, encompasses 121 Texas counties.