UTMB - Here for the Health of Texas UTMB - Here for the Health of Texas UTMB - Here for the Health of Texas UTMB Dept. of Family Medicine UTMB Dept. of Family Medicine

Predoctoral Education

FM Faculty and POM

Faculty on Course Committees:

  • Alice Anne O'Donell, M.D.
  • Jennifer Raley, M.D.
  • Victor Sierpina, M.D.
  • Donna Weaver, M.D.

Faculty Session Facilitators/Lecturers:

  • Ramona Carter, M.D.
  • Alvah Cass, M.D.
  • Alice Anne O'Donell
  • Gurjeet Shokar, M.D.
  • Barbara Thompson, M.D.
  • Donna Weaver, M.D.

The Department of Family Medicine is heavily involved in the design and classroom facilitation of the Practice of Medicine Course, part of the Integrated Medical Curriculum during the first two years of medical school. This two year course is divided into ten consecutive blocks ranging in duration from four to ten weeks in length. Major themes throughout the two years are developing medical interviewing and physical exam skills, effective patient communication and interactive skills including ones own emotional reactions, patient education and preventative health, principles of professionalism and medical ethics, and clinical decision making skills. The specific goals of each block are complimentary to the concurrent organ-based course.

Course directors for Practice of Medicine, Year 1, are Robert Beach, M.D. and Donna Weaver, M.D.  Course directors for Practice of Medicine, Year 2, are Mark Holden, M.D., Ruth Levine, M.D., and Bernard Karnath, M.D.