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Love honored with Ashbel Smith Distinguished Alumni Award

Two individuals pose with a gold medallion in a red case, one presenting the award to the other in front of a black curtain.

LaTanya J. Love, MD, dean of McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston receives the distinguished alumni award from Richard Helmer, III, MD, president of the John Sealy School of Medicine Alumni Association.

Few honors carry greater significance for a medical school graduate than recognition from their alma mater. For LaTanya J. Love, MD, dean of McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston, that recognition came in the form of the Ashbel Smith Distinguished Alumni Award.

The recognition is the highest honor presented by The University of Texas Medical Branch John Sealy School of Medicine Alumni Association. It recognizes alumni whose outstanding achievements in medicine, leadership, education, service, and commitment to UTMB have made a lasting impact on their profession and communities.

“This recognition is especially meaningful because it comes from the institution where my own journey in medicine began,” Love said. “As educators and physicians, we have a responsibility not only to care for patients but also to inspire and prepare those who will follow us. I am honored to be part of that mission and grateful for the opportunity to help shape the future of medicine.”

Love, who followed in the footsteps of her late grandfather—a respected physician in Beaumont—earned her medical degree from UTMB and completed her combined residency in internal medicine and pediatrics at McGovern Medical School in 2004, followed by a chief residency in 2005.

She’s held multiple leadership roles throughout her career, including serving as interim president of UTHealth Houston in 2025, before becoming dean of the medical school later the same year.

Established in 1965 by the John Sealy School of Medicine Alumni Association, the Ashbel Smith Distinguished Alumni Award is named for physician, educator, and statesman Dr. Ashbel Smith.

Learn more about Love in her Beyond the CV feature (external link).