Local Physicians' Group Donates Money to UNT Health Science Center
Dallas Southwest Osteopathic Physicians Inc. provided UNT Health Science Center with its fifth gift of $125,000 for a total of $625,000 toward the group’s endowed clinical geriatrics chair at the health science center. The total endowment pledge is $1.2 million.Representatives from the health science center received the gift at DSWOP’s July 17 board meeting.
“DSWOP has been a strong supporter of our programs and students for more than 20 years,” said Greg Upp, interim vice president for institutional advancement and vice president for institutional coordination at the health science center. “Their $1.2 million pledge is the single largest gift they have ever awarded, and this particular endowment holds special significance as the first chair of clinical geriatrics among all 20 osteopathic medical schools.”
Janice Knebl, DO, MBA, occupies the DSWOP Distinguished Chair of Clinical Geriatrics and serves as chief of geriatrics in internal medicine. Dr. Knebl has a vision for expanding the Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine’s training opportunities and clinical research program with the support of the fund. Eventually, she said, the endowment will serve as a permanent catalyst for providing comprehensive clinical geriatric services to more older adults and their caregivers.
Dr. Knebl said her long-term goals include re-establishing TCOM’s geriatrics fellowship program, greater inclusion of geriatrics in the medical school curriculum, research into geriatric education in medical schools, and clinical research projects on dementia, disease prevention and issues associated with assisted living, long-termcare and end-of-life palliative care.
DSWOP has donated more than $2 million to the health science center since 1984 for projects ranging from student scholarships to continuing medical education and the endowed chair.
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