Dallas DO Endowment

Shown in photo are, from left, Dr. Janice Knebl, Dr. Joseph LaManna, President and Chairman of the DSWOP Board, and Greg Upp.

The Dallas Southwest Osteopathic Physicians Inc. Endowed Chair of Clinical Geriatrics Fund at the University of North Texas Health Science Center grew to $625,000 in July with its donor’s fifth gift of $125,000. The total endowment pledge is $1.2 million.

Present at the Dallas group’s July 17 board meeting to accept the pledge gift were Janice Knebl, DO, MBA, chief of geriatrics for the health science center’s Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine and holder of the named chair, and Greg Upp, interim vice president for institutional advancement and vice president for institutional coordination.

"DSWOP has been a strong supporter of our programs and students for more than 20 years,” Upp said. “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 in clinical geriatrics among all 20 osteopathic medical schools."

Dr. Knebl said she has a vision for expanding TCOM’s training opportunities and clinical research program with the support of the fund when it is fully endowed. Eventually, she said, the endowment will serve as a permanent catalyst for providing comprehensive clinical geriatric services to many more older adults and their caregivers in north Texas.

Dr. Knebl told the DSWOP board that her long-term goals include re-establishing TCOM’s geriatrics fellowship program, greater inclusion of geriatrics in the medical student curriculum, research into geriatric education in medical schools, and clinical research projects on dementia, disease prevention and issues associated with assisted living, long-term care and end-of-life palliative care.

Dr. Knebl also reported on her 2005-2006 academic year activities, which included the following:

1. A clinical practice with five medical directorships and a total of more than 2,500 patient visits per year
2. Clinical supervision of five geriatricians, two psychologists, two nurse practitioners and two social workers
3. Service as project director of the UNTHSC/JPS Geriatric fellowship program, training three geriatric medical fellows, one dental fellow and one psychology fellow
4. Abstracts accepted for presentation to the American Medical Directors Association and the Texas Association for Homes and Services for the Aged
5. Invited speaker on geriatric topics at 16 local, statewide and national seminars
6. Service as program director for three Health Resource and Service Administration grants
7. Development of a new mandatory clinical rotation in geriatrics for all TCOM fourth-year medical students