Medical Humanities Commons^™

Emotional Intelligence Documentary - What Remains: Medical Humanities Perspectives From Madrid And Toledo, Spain, Samantha N. Lara

Cultivating Emotional Intelligence through the Humanities in Spain

What Remains is a documentary inspired by a Medical/Health Humanities study abroad experience in Madrid and Toledo, Spain. Through museums, historic architecture, poetry, and everyday life, the film examines how human beings leave traces of themselves long after they are gone. Drawing on course themes including Plural Truths, Reason and its Discontents, The Renaissance Self, and Fragmented Modernity, the documentary explores how art and literature preserve experiences of suffering, identity, memory, and human connection. Works by Antonio Machado, Francisco de Quevedo, Francisco Goya, El Greco, and Diego Velázquez serve as lenses through which to examine the enduring nature of human …

Emotional Intelligence Documentary - Madrid: La Enseñanza Del Poder, Karla I. Jimenez-Valencia

Cultivating Emotional Intelligence through the Humanities in Spain

El documental Madrid: La Enseñanza del Poder es una reflexión sobre el poder, incluyendo el abuso de poder, la opresión, la desigualdad y el sufrimiento de las personas causado por quienes actúan con avaricia y buscan mantener su autoridad.

En el documental hablo del poder de la monarquía española y cómo el Palacio Real de Madrid representa un símbolo de esta inmensa autoridad. Igualmente, tocó el tema de cómo esta riqueza no está distribuida de manera equitativa y como se ve esta distribución en la sociedad actual.

También, discuto la dictadura de Francisco Franco y la Guerra Civil Española y …

Emotional Intelligence Documentary - The Art Of Compassion: Learning From Spain, Poetry, And Medicine, Emily E. Morin

Cultivating Emotional Intelligence through the Humanities in Spain

The Art of Compassion: Learning from Spain, Poetry, and Medicine explores how art, literature, and cultural experiences can deepen compassion and inform more human-centered healthcare. Drawing on works encountered during a Medical Humanities study abroad program in Spain, the documentary examines compassion as a skill that can be cultivated through self-reflection, recognition of shared vulnerability, and appreciation of multiple perspectives. Through analysis of poetry by Lope de Vega, Jaime Sabines, and Yehuda Halevi, alongside artworks by Diego Velázquez, Francisco Goya, and Pablo Picasso, the film connects themes of empathy, suffering, identity, and healing to contemporary clinical practice. The documentary also …

Emotional Intelligence Documentary - The Journey, Not The Destination: A Spain Reflection, Elise I. Palacios

Cultivating Emotional Intelligence through the Humanities in Spain

The Journey, Not the Destination follows my study abroad experience in Madrid and Toledo, Spain through a Medical Humanities course. Through art, history, culture, and personal reflection, I explore how travel broadened my understanding of the human experience and shaped my perspective as a future physician. More than a story about a place, this documentary is about growth, empathy, and the lessons we learn along the journey.

Heroes Of Medicine In The Rio Grande Valley: Documentary Interview With Dr. Cynthia Cavazos Gonzalez, Cynthia Cavazos Gonzalez, Raquel Elena Orellana

Heroes of Medicine in the Rio Grande Valley

Cynthia Cavazos Gonzalez PhD is an Associate Professor of Clinical Practice at UTRGV in Edinburg, Texas and she is the clinic director of the UTRGV Psychology training clinic. She completed a doctoral degree in Clinical Psychology from California School of Professional Psychology in Fresno, California. Her doctoral degree is in Clinical Psychology with a major specialization in Neuropsychology and minor specialization in Health Psychology. She completed an APA-accredited pre-doctoral internship at UTMB in Galveston with a major emphasis in hospital consultation, outpatient psychotherapy, and psychological and neuropsychological evaluations with diverse populations. She completed an informal neuropsychology post-doctoral residency in Texas …

Clinical Considerations For Spinal Fusion In Adolescents On Puberty Blockers: Hormonal And Surgical Implications, Anesu K. Murambadoro, Rebekah Julie Park, Sonya Bhatia, Shaunte Hadnot, Model Zerfu, Kathryn Horton

Research Colloquium

Background: Spinal fusion is a common intervention for adolescent scoliosis, particularly during periods of rapid skeletal growth in patients with progressive curves or those who do not meet criteria for non-operative management. Adolescents receiving puberty suppression with gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) analogs as part of gender-affirming care present unique clinical challenges due to altered bone metabolism and delayed physeal (growth plate) maturation.

Methods: We conducted a narrative review of the current literature evaluating the effects of puberty blockers and gender-affirming hormone therapy (GAHT) on bone metabolism, skeletal development, and outcomes related to spinal fusion in adolescents.

Results: GnRH analogs are associated …

Medical Students Attending Schools Along The Us-Mexico Border: Experiences From Bilingual And Monolingual Students, Roger Banda Jr, Aaron Silva, Ney Alliey Rodriguez

MEDI 9331 Scholarly Activities Clinical Years

We present a study that aims to capture experiences of bilingual and monolingual medical students exposed to patient populations with limited English proficiency along the US-Mexico border. The study surveyed US-Medical students at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley in the clerkship years of medical education. A total of 121 medical students were surveyed consisting of both bilingual and monolingual students of which 32 responded (26%). Of the students surveyed, 0% reported being certified as medical language interpreters. 24% reported feeling somewhat uncomfortable and 10% extremely uncomfortable while interpreting, 48% reported sometimes making errors in translation, and 33% reported …

Expanding Health Professional Education In The Rio Grande Valley During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Sabrina R. Orta, Samantha G. Alvarado, Shuchita Jhaveri

Research Symposium

Purpose: The COVID-19 Pandemic has prompted innovation in health professional education, such that learners are able to recognize and mitigate healthcare disparities in the outcomes of vulnerable populations. The objective of our project was to increase education on preventing, preparing for, and responding to COVID-19 and other locally prevalent infectious diseases that disproportionately affect RGV communities.

Description: This project had 3 goals: (1) provide learners with virtual patient-interaction simulations (2) provide interactive training modules on the identification, prevention, and treatment of infectious diseases affecting South TX and strategies to increase child vaccinations, and (3) provide learners an opportunity to coordinate …

The Fortify Resilience Initiative, Nausheen Jamal, Deepu George, Maria Hernandez, Evan Garcia, Myrna Ruiz, Salvador Arellano Iii

Research Symposium

Purpose: The Fortify Resilience Initiative focuses on building and sustaining a culture of wellbeing for Residents and Fellows (R/Fs) at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) School of Medicine’s (SOM) Graduate Medical Education (GME) residency and fellowship programs. In order to address the multitude of threats to physician wellness and to mitigate the silent, but pernicious effects of burnout on these physician learners serving in the RGV, this Initiative from the Office of GME will strengthen existing wellbeing pathways while expanding additional solutions that will work to sustain wellbeing. Utilizing a combination of prevention, promotion, and intervention strategies …

Primary Care Behavioral Health Partnerships Advancing & Transforming Health Sciences (Pcbh Paths), Kristan Diaz-Rios, Deepu George, Maria Hernandez, Evan Garcia, Myrna Ruiz, Salvador Arellano Iii

Research Symposium

Purpose: Primary Care Behavioral Health Partnerships Advancing & Transforming Health Sciences (PCBH PATHS) is a workforce development pipeline project aimed at permanently augmenting UTRGV’s institutional capacity to address shortage of an Integrated Behavioral Health (IBH) competent workforce locally, regionally and nationally. Our initiative, aligned with UTRGV strategic priorities and key initiatives, will integrate basic(model specific strategy and operational elements), mid-level (role identity and profession specific behavioral competencies specific to each health profession), and advanced (behavioral medicine clinical skills) applications of the evidence based PCBH model of delivery. A PCBH focused delivery system (clinical and educational), in which primary care providers …

Patient Safety Workshop: A Graduate Medical Education Interprofessional Simulation Half-Day, Ans Albustamy, Roque Mifuji, Michelle Lopez, Teresa Villagomez, Chelsea Chang

Research Symposium

Introduction: As per the National Academy of Medicine, patient safety is considered indistinguishable from the delivery of quality health care, and is referred to as the foundation upon which all other aspects of quality care are built. Throughout the years, graduate medical education (GME) across the world has evolved to ensure the training of future medical professionals includes exposure to many of the elements that compose patient safety, such as implementing root cause analysis, systems thinking, and disclosing adverse events. University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) is the sponsoring institution for 19 GME programs across different specialties. As part …

Green Prescriptions – Prescribing Lifestyle Modification To Combat A Silent Pandemic., Jonathan Guajardo

MEDI 9331 Scholarly Activities Clinical Years

Obesity is a well-known modifiable risk factor that contributes to the development of atherosclerosis. In the Rio Grande Valley, a region located in southern Texas, the rate of obesity rises to 47%, compared to 44% in the US. [4] Obesity is largely driven by poor diet and lack of physical activity and poor compliance/adherence to dietary and physical activity recommendations. [4] We seek to gauge the effect of green prescriptions, prescribed lifestyle modification, on compliance in the RGV population. Selected patients will receive a pre- and post-survey for subjective measures and be given a workout regimen according to exercise history. …

Health Conditions In Southwest Texas, Arthur E. Spohn

Gulf Coast Line Magazine

Discusses the region's landscape, water sources, climate, diseases, and typical health conditions of people living in the region. Includes image of Mexican laborers clearing chapparal. Photo by Wheelus.