The Path Forward: A Vision for UTMB Health

As President of The University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB), I am humbled by the legacy of this great institution and its large family of faculty, staff and students who are dedicated to innovation, compassion and excellence.

As a physician-scientist and educator, I am also inspired by the opportunity to build upon UTMB’s legacy in patient care, health sciences education, research and innovation to reach ever-greater heights of excellence.

Each of our mission areas, by itself, is critical to the health and well-being of our state, nation and world. If we focused only on one mission area—whether that’s educating the health care workforce, advancing biomedical science in our research laboratories or providing the best patient care—we would be making a tremendous contribution to our communities and society.

But when our mission areas come together—when we pursue all equally and not allow one mission to prevail at the expense of the others—our opportunities to improve lives are amplified exponentially.

In practice:

• We will invest our intellect, enthusiasm, energy, integrity and capital to create a next-generation academic health science institution of excellence—one that can serve as a model for others, accountable and leading through technology and learning.
• We will further increase the prominence of our education programs, creating more dynamic educational experiences that marry hands-on experiences with access to translational medicine, clinical trials and care at the bedside.
• For our research enterprise, we will invest in translational science, not only to foster more studies but also to increase the number of basic science breakthroughs that will benefit care for providers and patients today and tomorrow.
• In our clinical enterprise, we will accelerate our efforts to provide access to care and achieve the highest quality and a consistently excellent patient experience. Quality—from the best possible clinical outcomes to ensuring every UTMB patient feels respected, listened to and well cared for—will be ingrained in everything we do in our clinics and hospitals and will be second nature in each interaction throughout the institution.
• We will foster a culture of collaboration, respect, accountability and partnership, both within UTMB and with other top-tier institutions, locally, nationally and globally.
• By elevating all of our mission areas, we will become a magnet for exceptional talent in our schools, laboratories, Health System and administrative support areas.

Together, guided by our shared vision, the UTMB family will transform health care, building a healthier, happier and more equitable society for generations to come. Our discoveries will help make the world healthier for all.