In our technologically driven environment, operating without internet access is like trying to breathe without oxygen — you flatline. What transpired over the next 48 hours, however, was nothing short of a miracle. In a project that should have taken two weeks, competitive vendors worked together to restore internet accessibility in two days. Our chief information officer and vice president of information technology, Vince Fell, called it a “case study in teamwork.”

We’re honored to share the story in this issue about our ninth president. Lori Rice-Spearman, PhD, (Health Professions ’86) worked her way from student to our university’s helm. She is leading TTUHSC with a new vision: transform health care through innovation and collaboration.

You will notice the “Innovation & Collaboration” logo on certain stories throughout this and our summer 2021 issues. We are labeling stories that directly coincide with the new vision and hope you will find inspiration in the creative and interprofessional work done by our faculty, staff and students.

Best wishes for health and happiness this coming year.

It was about 16 hours before we had resumption of lab facilities — a hardship for me since I had four fresh heart surgery patients to care for. We all survived, but I ended up having to stay in the hospital for four straight days (and nights) while we tried to stabilize/transfer/sort out things.

Actually, I had made plans before the quake to relocate. I have left general surgery at Stanford to do emergency medicine in Denver, and I love it. This is a very dynamic program, and I feel like I’ve finally started learning in a residency. Denver is great, and the people are more like Texans, (but don’t tell them I said that!) so I just feel like I’m home.

Covid patients in the hospital being isolated, alone, sick, and afraid. Those dying are doing it alone via FaceTime. How terrible is this!!!!

Let’s unpack the box.

As a TTUHSC audiology student, Ortiz met Joseph Pratt, AuD, CCC-A, (Health Professions ’13). They quickly bonded over their shared goal of military service. After earning their doctorate degrees, both men were commissioned as audiologists in the U.S. Navy.

As clinical audiologists, a significant aspect of their job was hearing conservation, a practice area that attracts only 5% of audiologists. After seeing 18- and 19-year-olds with life-altering hearing loss, Ortiz and Pratt became even more passionate about auditory preservation.

So, disease prevention became his primary focus, leading Appiah on a quest beyond clinical practice. He earned a master’s of public health and doctorate in epidemiology from the University of Louisville. Appiah’s research took a detour through cardiovascular disease, but came full circle when one of his students approached him with a potential research project.

anuel and Maria Porras became proud parents on a Friday afternoon in June of a beautiful daughter they named Aida. Maria had dreamt of the moment when she would hold her baby for the first time, but instead a nurse took the baby away immediately after birth. “I waited for them to bring her back, but instead they told me she was really sick.”

James Luecke, MD, a family medicine physician at Big Bend Regional Medical Center in Alpine, Texas, successfully delivered the Porras’ healthy baby girl on June 29, 1990, but within minutes, his tiny patient was in respiratory distress. In fact, Luecke had moved to his next case — a surgical telemedicine consult — when he learned about Aida’s condition. Luecke asked the surgeon online if there was a neonatologist available in Lubbock for an emergency consult — putting TTUHSC’s fledgling telemedicine program to the test.

Pharmacy Graduate: 2019

Michael Dean, PharmD, walks into the infusion room at Texas Oncology in Fort Worth, Texas, and kneels beside a patient receiving a chemotherapy infusion. Addressing patient concerns and questions about medication side effects and alternate therapies is rewarding, Dean says.

“Cancer is a terrible disease. I will do everything I can to help them overcome it.”

As a third-year pharmacy student, there wasn’t a hospital rotation available locally in intravenous admixtures for Dean’s degree requirement. TTUHSC arranged a clinical rotation for Dean at Texas Oncology — a circumstance that led to a permanent career.

While there, Dean discovered his calling in oncology. He reviews patient charts throughout the day, oversees dosages in the patient care process, manages patient retail prescriptions and evaluates patient regimens prescribed by physicians.

“We are partners with physicians here, and that feeling of being part of the medical team is awesome.” — Kara Bishop

Hobbs opened her own practice in July; her work is in high demand now that systemic mental health needs are aggravated by the coronavirus pandemic. Anxiety and depression are on the rise, and slashed treatment facility capacities exacerbate the situation.

“Think about people who are homicidal, suicidal or their bipolar mania is extreme. Only half of those people are able to get the help they need [through in-patient facilities],” Hobbs said. To help bridge the gap, Hobbs now offers telehealth services to patients throughout the state. As her practice grows, so does her impact. — Glenys Young

Biomedical Sciences Graduate: 1981

After attending college in the Northeast, Robert Lust, PhD, landed at TTUHSC. A school with an all-hands-on-deck atmosphere meant significant overlap in training doctoral and medical students — the only silos he found were in surrounding fields. Lust completed his doctorate and postdoctoral training and took his first faculty position as a research scientist in cardiology at TTUHSC.

When he left TTUHSC in 1986, Lust thought he’d never again find that unique mix of collaboration. And then, a cardiac surgeon at East Carolina University needed a scientist.

“I’m now again in a brand-new medical school. This guy is building a heart surgery research program, and I thought, ‘I’ve been in this world.’

“I had so much exposure to clinical translational research at TTUHSC. They were attracted to a scientist not afraid to go on hospital rounds or into an operating room. That’s exactly what I was trained to do.” The 2002 Distinguished Alumni honoree now trains the next generation. — Glenys Young

“Fixing the problem for the client takes away their power to choose and takes away their voice,” she explained. “My intern supervisor once told me that we are supposed to work ourselves out of a job — we give our clients the tools to stand on their own so they become independent.”

After passing the National Counselor Exam in August, Copeland is now working toward the 3,000 counseling hours necessary to become a licensed professional counselor. Her goal is to open her own private practice and help many more people stand on their own. — Glenys Young

I can say with certainty that I never met Juan at any event when he did not ask about when we would have an emergency medicine residency program. How ironic that he died during the year that our emergency medicine residency began. The residency program was established at UMC, and not Covenant, nevertheless Juan’s advocacy was instrumental in the push for this program. Many of the faculty now teaching the current emergency medicine residents had their initial ER experience with Dr. Fitz.

The School of Medicine and the Lubbock County Medical Society Foundation are raising funds for the establishment of an endowed scholarship in Dr. Fitz’s name — a name that will always be associated with excellence in emergency room care in West Texas.
— Steven L. Berk, MD, dean, School of Medicine