A new funding opportunity is available for students who are presenting scholarly activity in the field of psychiatry. Please see details on the Psychiatry Education Travel Fund.

The UTMB Center of Excellence for Professional Advancement and Research (COEPAR) 1 D34HP49234‐01‐00 is funded by a federal grant from the Department of Health and Human Services, HRSA. COEPAR’s main objective is to pilot initiatives across the medical pathway, from premedical attraction to medical student education to junior faculty retention and advancement, that seek to determine best practices that will result in a representative healthcare workforce for Texas and therefore, provide better patient outcomes.
The Center of Excellence for Professional Advancement and Research (COEPAR) at The University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) extends our deepest appreciation to everyone who made the 2025 Centers of Excellence Consortium (COEC) Annual Faculty Development Conference a resounding success.
Held on Friday, April 25, 2025, at the UTMB Health Education Center, this event brought together a small but highly motivated group of faculty and scholars dedicated to advancing excellence in education, leadership, and career development.
We are especially grateful to our outstanding speakers:
Dr. John Paul Sanchez — Becoming a Leader
Dr. Kimberly Skarupski — Catapult Your Career and Sustain Your Success: Tools and Resources
Dr. Susan Gerik — Empowering through Perspective
And to our dynamic breakout session leaders:
Dr. Sarah Toombs Smith — Writing Smarter: Hints to Increase Productivity
Dr. Norma Perez — Planning Your Next 5 Years and Mission Statement
Dr. Kathleen Everling — Professional Presentations
Dr. Tatiana Berrios-Chango — StrengthFinders
Your expertise, generosity, and commitment to faculty development inspired and energized our attendees. The feedback we received has been overwhelmingly positive, and many participants expressed how the lessons and insights gained during the conference will have a lasting impact on their careers and leadership journeys.
We look forward to continuing to build community, foster collaboration, and advance excellence together.
Thank you again for being part of this memorable event!
Norma A Pérez Raifaisen, MD, DrPH, CPC-ELI-MP
Berengaria Navarre, MS, MFA
Le Ochia Bonilla, RHIT, BS-HCM
Soham Al Snih, MD, PhD
Kendall M. Campbell, MD, FAAFP