NEWS  


EMHS Health Science students at Dedication
September 2014

Some of our health science students attended the dedication of the new UT medical school and met Senator Kirk Watson. Click on the link to see the photo.

Eastside Memorial Health Science Students
Part of Something Big

AUSTIN- Students enrolled in Eastside Memorial High School Health Science classes were invited to participate in the opening ceremony of the University of Texas Dell Medical School opening last month. The inclusion of the Eastside Memorial High School students is part of the UT Dell Medical School goal of creating a stronger community collaborative relationship in its overall strategic plan of impacting the Austin community.
Most recently, students from Eastside Memorial completed their clinical rotations at Seton Main Hospital, and this prompted Senator Kirk Watson to invite Eastside students because of their affiliation with Seton Family Healthcare.
The program was opened by University of Texas President Bill Powers, who informed the audience the UT Medical School was indeed, the 'start of something big' and expected the medical school to impact Austin and the university in many ways beyond its economic impact. The origins of the medical school concept were spearheaded some years ago by State Senator Kirk Watson, who said the construction of the new medical school will be more than additional buildings. He also stated the presence of having Eastside Memorial High School students as part of the opening ceremony exemplifies the commitment to education, and is a necessity to build a stronger, more representative healthcare workforce for Austin and surrounding areas.
Other than President Powers and Senator Watson, the program included comments by the new dean of the medical school, Dr. Clay Johnston. He deemed the medical school purpose and intention to be innovative and different in its mission to produce higher quality physicians and researchers. The UT Dell Medical School encompasses partnerships between the University of Texas, Seton Family Healthcare and Central Health Services. The larger partnership was demonstrated by attendance from Brenda Coleman-Beattie, Chairwoman of Central Health and President and CEO of Seton Family Healthcare, Dr. Jesus Garza who also spoke during the program.
Each of the speakers emphasized the goal of the new medical school to be different by writing words on a board to describe their role in the partnership. The theme for the ceremony was Innovation, Community Care, Transformation and a Model for Healthy Community.
Audience members were also invited to use one word themes to describe their desire of the medical school and its impact on the health of the community and to create a workforce and research facility that encompasses many unique and different features than traditional medical school.
Eastside students also wrote their one word themes on the big boards displayed at the ceremony. The boards will be displayed in the atrium and lobby of the finished medical school.