Vic Holmes, Mpas, Edd, Pa C Assistant Professor

HSC Pride: Increased pronoun use is an emerging trend among health professionals

By Diane Smith-Pinckney The embroidery on Vic Holmes’ black scrubs identify him as a physician assistant and an ally to LGBTQ+ patients. The words, stitched under a rainbow-colored Caduceus pin and near his heart, read: “Vic Holmes, PA-C, He/Him/His, Family Medicine.” Pronouns are gracing more white coats, scrubs, business cards, name badges and email signatures…
Dr. Laine Markham

HSC, Texas Wesleyan University collaborate to return athletes recovered from COVID-19 safely back to playing field

By Diane Smith-Pinckney Sixty Texas Wesleyan University athletes have completed athletic screenings through a new partnership with The University of North Texas Health Science Center (HSC) at Fort Worth. The project screens TXWES athletes who have had COVID-19 so they can return to sports. As of Dec. 3, four more athletes were in the process of being assessed and had tests pending. “We completed…
HSC Students

TCOM, PA students comply with COVID social distance rules while fine tuning their skills via the HSC Simulation Center

By Diane Smith HSC Fort Worth has taken virtual learning to new levels during COVID-19.  Consider, for example, medical students at the Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine who must master ultrasound technology to better identify the diseases that ail patients.   At TCOM, students gain these skills while also learning to teach their peers. Earlier this year, about 20 to 30 students worked to become teaching assistants in the ultrasound training program directed by John O. Gibson, MD; FAAFP,…
Veteran Student Mikel Bell

Call of duty

By Diane Smith  Mikel Bell’s plan to become a doctor came while fighting the war on terrorism in Iraq where he gave medical support to U.S. Marines.  In 2007, Bell was a Navy corpsman embedded with a Marine unit fighting in Iraq, removing improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and stopping people from making bombs. Later, he worked to rebuild the city of Ramadi.  “I wore their uniform. I trained…
Covid Testing Detail Unt Health Science Center Fc

HSC prioritizes microcredentials to enhance students’ career readiness

By Betsy Friauf At The University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth (HSC), student career readiness is enhanced in myriad ways. One of the latest is microcredentialing. Microcredentials are competency-based, specialized certifications attesting that a student has mastered specific skills for a certain activity or procedure. Microcredentials are crucial and have been…
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Fort Worth Mayor Betsy Price to HSC students, faculty: ‘Give yourself a pat on the back’

By Diane Smith Students and faculty volunteers from The University of North Texas Health Center at Fort Worth were recognized by Mayor Betsy Price for establishing the first community-based COVID-19 testing site in the city. “To all of you, you need to reach back and give yourself a pat on the back,” Price said during…
Yasser Salem Fc

HSC Professor to chair a national group on the impact of COVID-19

By Jan Jarvis Dr. Yasser Salem, Professor of Physical Therapy, has been appointed to chair a national group that will focus on identifying the impact of COVID-19 on children with disability, their families and professionals working with them. He will lead a work group created by the Academy of Pediatric Physical Therapy of the American…
Ashley Twining Fc

HSC alumna left family to work at the epicenter of the COVID-19 outbreak

By Jan Jarvis Ashley Twining’s first assignment as a physician assistant working in the epicenter of the pandemic was unnerving. “I was there to take the place of another PA who passed away from COVID-19 only one week earlier,” she said. That grim reality did not stop the 2012 UNT Health Science Center graduate from…
Sean Jamieson Fc

Former baseball player gears up for new career as HSC physician assistant graduate

By Diane Smith Sean Jamieson has long practiced a strategy that helped him during a critical time – keeping good grades. Jamieson followed baseball aspirations from his native Canada to New York to Nevada. When he was steps away from the major leagues, a shoulder injury stole his dream. Balancing strong academics with sports helped…
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Dr. Claire Peel leaves HSC with a legacy of innovative leadership

By Jan Jarvis To some, Dr. Claire Peel is best known for bringing her therapy dog Luke to campus and introducing The University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth to the therapeutic benefits of pets. But to many, she is nationally recognized as a talented researcher and educator. Since joining HSC in…