Inaugural Class of Doctors from 4-Year School of Community Medicine Graduate
All of us at OU-Tulsa have something very exciting to celebrate — the graduation of the first 30 students who attended all four years of medical school in Tulsa.
This inaugural class has been years in the making, long before the students even applied to medical school. The OU-TU School of Community Medicine was established at OU-Tulsa in 2008, thanks to a $50 million gift from the George Kaiser Family Foundation, with a purposeful focus on improving Oklahoma’s healthcare needs.
The OU-TU School of Community Medicine is among the nation’s leaders in the growing field of community medicine, focusing on population-based health outcomes and the social determinants of health. The goal of Community Medicine is to improve the health of entire communities, especially under-served populations most in need of medical care.
This new generation of doctors understands the significance of community medicine, and will impact their communities for decades to come. The great news is 11 of 30 are staying here in Tulsa, so this inaugural class is not only a point of pride for our campus, but also our entire community. Plus, we’re thrilled Interim President Harroz could join us at the graduation ceremony, which was his first one to attend in his new position.
OU-Tulsa Shows its PRIDE!
I want to personally thank everyone who represented OU-Tulsa at the 37th annual Pride Parade & Festival. This was my first year walking in the parade and my favorite thing was hearing the crowd shout “BOOMER!” when they saw us!
This was OU-Tulsa's fourth year in a row to participate, and we have increased our presence each year:
- A huge thanks to our recruiter Kyle Miller Shawnee, who spoke with more than 200 people at the festival about how OU-Tulsa could help them achieve their goals and share that we value the lives, voices, and education of LGBTQ+ individuals.
- OU Physicians-Tulsa had their Mobile Clinic on site where medical and physician assistant students took blood pressure screenings and answered medical questions from attendees. They also proudly promoted that OU Medical Center in OKC is the only LGBTQ+ certified medical center in the state.
- This year, OU-Tulsa had 42 students, faculty, staff, and family march in the Pride Parade. The theme of OU-Tulsa’s float was “We Are One OU” which featured dozens of photos of OU-Tulsa employees and students who are LGBTQ+ allies.
Student Spotlight: Q&A with OU-Tulsa’s first Fulbright Scholar
OU-Tulsa's first Fulbright Scholar, Dr. Umair Hashmi who is an international student from Pakistan, just defended his PhD dissertation and has officially completed his Doctorate in Electrical & Computer Engineering.
What was one of your favorite things about attending OU-Tulsa? I am so thankful to the OU-Tulsa community for the immense love and kindness our family received over the last 4 years. I absolutely loved the open-door environment and level of accessibility on campus. Everyone was highly responsive and welcomed students in discussions. This environment not only helps students express their opinions openly, but also creates a strong affiliation with the University.
How were you involved on campus? I was the VP of the International Student Organization, the Secretary of the OU-Tulsa Student Government Association, served on the OU-Tulsa Police Advisory Council. I was also proud to be one of the founding members of the “OU-Tulsa Cousins” program where international students are paired with local American students to share cultural experiences with each other.
What project did you work on while with the Engineering Department? My PhD dissertation is focused on innovative 5G and beyond cellular networks. I leveraged multiple tools (artificial intelligence, game theory, and stochastic geometry) to develop analytical models and architectures that improve the system efficiency of the network.
What’s next in your life? I will return to Pakistan in August. I am already in discussions with the top-tier universities there for a faculty position. I will teach courses relevant to my expertise and also conduct research in 5G and artificial intelligence. My family and I are bringing so many fond memories and leaving a part of ourselves behind. As the graduation certificate read, "No matter where you go, you’ll always be a Sooner!"
Carnegie Community Engaged Institution Application
I am extremely proud that Community Engagement is one of our core values at OU-Tulsa.
Thanks to the diligent work of Dr. Meg Myers Morgan and Dr. Ken Randall, co-directors of our Office of Community Engagement, who recently completed a 45-page application for OU-Tulsa to be named a Carnegie Community Engaged Institution. We will find out if we have received this prestigious designation in January, and will keep you posted! For now, a huge thanks to Meg and Ken for all their hard work!
Sustainability: Okies for Monarchs
Did you know? In the last 20 years, the number of monarchs that fly from Canada to Mexico has dropped by over 80%.
In order for monarchs to thrive, they must have ample food, shelter, and breeding grounds during both migrations. So, the OU-Tulsa Green Team recently hosted a Lunch & Learn featuring Mary Waller with "Okies for Monarchs." To help, our campus has planted milkweed in pots by Stuart Square. Monarchs only lay their eggs on milkweed and the monarch caterpillar eats the plant before changing to chrysalis (a butterfly cocoon).
Oklahoma is directly in the middle of the monarch migratory path. The milkweed plant is native to our area, but the increased use of herbicides, pesticides, and genetically modified crops have resulted in its eradication. Because of this, monarchs and other pollinators are disappearing at an alarming rate. Why is this important? Pollinators help over 80% of the world’s flowering plants reproduce. No pollination = no crops = no food.
Please learn more about how you can help the monarchs and all other pollinators that are so critical to our food supply. Visit Okies for Monarchs and take the pledge to plant the path for monarchs in Oklahoma.
ICYMI...
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Credits:
Created with an image by bbarlow - "monarch butterfly migration"