Overview
The Division of General Medicine is a diverse team of clinically oriented physicians from varied backgrounds, dedicated to excellence in education, comprehensive patient care, clinical research and professional growth.
We are actively involved in inpatient and outpatient teaching of medical students and residents. Our faculty serve as ward attendings on the Internal Medicine teaching services at Memorial Hermann Hospital TMC and the Lyndon B. Johnson General Hospital. We also serve at many ambulatory locations, including the UT General Medicine Center at the UT Professional Building across from McGovern Medical School, the UT West Loop Clinic, the Lyndon B. Johnson Outpatient Clinics, the Thomas Street AIDS Clinic with the Harris County Hospital District, and TIRR Memorial Hermann.
We care for patients at multiple outlying clinics, including the UT Bayshore Family Practice Clinic, the UT Physicians Greens Multispecialty Clinic, UT Physicians Victory Campus, UT Physicians at the Heights, and UT Physicians Jensen Clinic.
Our faculty also participate in many capacities in Medical Student education, serving as course directors for the Internal Medicine rotation, the ambulatory experience in the 4th year, and the Ethics and Professionalism Course. We actively participate in Problem Based Learning, the Physical Diagnosis Course, and lecture in several basic science courses. We have received numerous teaching awards over the years. During our medical students careers we interact with all of them each year.
We are one of the most active clinical divisions in the school. In addition to patient care at the above locations, we also perform internal medicine consultations at the Harris County Psychiatric Center. Our faculty are Board certified and have received recognition as Best Doctors and Top Doctors in the area.
Current research efforts include the McGovern Medical School’s Center of Excellence for Patient Safety Research and Practice, a $7 million program project grant funded by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. This Center is directed by Dr. Eric Thomas, who received the 2007 John M. Eisenberg Patient Safety and Quality Award for Research. Research in ethics and informed decision making is conducted by Dr. Eugene Boisaubin. Dr. Kevin Hwang has active research in the effect of diet and exercise on obesity. Drs. Phil Johnson, Robin Hardwicke, Gabe Aisenberg, and Gus Krucke are involved in research on treatment options in HIV. Dr. Elmer Bernstam is involved in biomedical informatics focusing on information retrieval, consumer informatics, and decision support. Research among the internal medicine residents is promoted by Dr. Gabriel Aisenberg.
The division is the home of the Walter M. Kirkendall Endowed Lectureship given each year to remember the birthday of the first chairman of Internal Medicine at McGovern Medical School. The Ragan Ryan Summer Research Stipend funds two college or medical students to work in research activities during the summer. Dr. Eric Thomas holds the Griff T. Ross Professorship in Humanities and Technology in Health Care.