Alum becomes 1st DO to lead Dallas County Medical Society

In the late 1970s when Jim Walton, DO, MBA, graduated from the Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine, he and others faced a clear and inconsistently applied bias against the profession. What a difference 40 years make. Dr. Walton was recently installed as the 132nd president of the Dallas County Medical Society and the first osteopathic…

Sniffing out remedies for ‘cedar fever’

If you started the new year with congestion and watery eyes, you're not alone. Mountain cedar allergy season is in full sneeze and will get worse during the next few weeks. The affliction is often called "cedar fever" and can indeed make you sick. But don't despair, says John Fling, MD, allergist and Pediatrics Professor…

When Ebola came to Dallas, UNTHSC alum was prepared

As Medical Director/Health Authority for Dallas County, Christopher Perkins, DO, MPH, has led surveillance efforts for communicable diseases ranging from measles to West Nile virus. But when the first U.S diagnosed case of Ebola virus occurred in Dallas, the UNT Health Science Center alumnus saw his job veer into uncharted territory. “It was surprising to…

Certificate program focuses on critical role of food security

Breakfast, lunch, dinner - everybody eats. But how much do most of us really think about food, how it reaches our tables and how it affects us? Factors that impact our world's food supply and health - from environment/agriculture, animal health, food safety and distribution to rural development, climate and weather - are far-reaching and…

Community Garden is on the grow

The UNT Health Science Center Community Garden marks its first birthday Feb. 15 and will expand with nine more plots later that month. Here are its major accomplishments so far - not bad for a 1-year-old: More than 60 pounds of fresh organic produce have been donated to a local food pantry. Guided tours have…

Operating with little room for error

In the hospital waiting room, Kayla Cameron couldn't hold back the tears. Weeks earlier, Cameron, 22, had been critically injured in a car crash that fractured her spinal column and put her at risk of paralysis. On this day, she was to meet Douglas Dickson, MD, the orthopedic surgeon who performed an emergency spinal fusion…

Meal service with a smile can drive patient satisfaction

If it’s true that the way to a person’s heart is through his stomach, then it shouldn’t be too surprising that meal service with a smile can enhance the way patients judge their hospital stays. A study by Martin Ostensen, a Master of Health Administration student in UNTHSC’s School of Public Health, has correlated positive…

A more effective way to identify elder abuse

Elder abuse is a largely hidden problem, but one that impacts a growing number of America's aging population. In fact, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate that more than 500,000 older adults are abused or neglected in the U.S. each year. To address this growing public health concern, researcher Brad Cannell, PhD, MPH,…

Keeping those in addiction recovery in mind during holidays

For some, eggnog, buttered rum and other alcohol-spiked drinks are as much a part of the holidays as presents under the tree. But what happens when there's a family member or guest who is in addiction recovery? The holidays can be stressful for just about everyone, but they can be especially tough for people in…

Schmoozing with a purpose

Faculty from the School of Public Health (SPH), Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences and Texas Prevention Institute took networking to a new level when they recently hosted a UNT Health Science Center "Research Schmooze" at Mama's Pizza. Almost 30 professors connected to discuss their research interests and opportunities for collaboration on future projects and grant…