Category: Public Service

Proving the Naysayers Wrong: Trailblazing Thoracic Surgeon Dr. John Howington Shows Grace Under Fire

Written by Allyson Lawson

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Clinical CareEducationPublic ServiceResearch
Dr. John Howington's headshot with his white coat and stethoscope on.

When someone is a cardiothoracic surgeon, has authored publications, held leadership and teaching roles, presented internationally, been listed in “Best Doctors in America,” trail-blazed cancer prevention and treatment, and helped raise a family, you might think that person grew up surrounded by degrees and overflowing with confidence. “Kind of the opposite,” says John Howington, MD,… Read More

Tennessee’s First Brain Bee Comes to Memphis, Nurturing a New Generation of Neurologists

Written by Allyson Lawson

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Clinical CareEducationPublic ServiceResearch
A student and an adult listen to a professor in a white coat while she points to bright green, blue, and yellow images printed on large pieces of shiny paper laying on desks.

Last Saturday morning, 25 Shelby County high school students came to the University of Tennessee Health Science Center campus in Memphis to compete in the state’s first-ever Brain Bee. Not all arrived believing a career in medicine was possible. By day’s end, they could picture themselves as the person in the room who had the… Read More

Leadership to Legacy: Alumnus Dr. Mitch Godat’s Mission of Mercy

Written by Carmin Chambers

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Clinical CarePublic Service
Dr. Mitch Godat at the 2026 Mid-South Mission of Mercy

Before the first patient was seated, the doors at Bellevue Baptist Church had already opened to a line of individuals seeking care. Inside, more than 1,000 volunteers prepared treatment stations, transforming the gymnasium into a fully functioning dental clinic for the 10th annual Mid-South Mission of Mercy. For Mitch Godat, DDS, MS, a graduate of… Read More

UT Health Sciences Hosts Regional Mental Health Summit in Chattanooga

Written by Sarah Small

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Clinical CarePublic Service
Attendees at the Mental Health Summit in Chattaooga talk with each other.

Leaders from state and local government, health care, education, and community mental health organizations gathered in Chattanooga for a Regional Mental Health Summit on Friday, February 20, hosted by The University of Tennessee Health Sciences College of Medicine-Chattanooga to gain support in creating a new psychiatry residency program. The summit featured speakers including Marie Williams,… Read More

College of Nursing Mobile Units Expand Cancer Screening Outreach

Written by Leigh Ann Roman

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Clinical CareEducationPublic Service
A Nursing Mobile Health van parked in front of Hooks Library

The College of Nursing at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center is taking cancer screening to urban and rural communities, thanks to two mobile health units donated by the West Cancer Center and Research Institute and grant funding from regional and national organizations. Nursing faculty and students will use one of the vans to… Read More

Dentistry Marks Another Year of Smiles and Service Through Give Kids a Smile

Written by Carmin Chambers

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Clinical CarePublic Service
A dental student performs work on a young patient

The University of Tennessee Health Science Center College of Dentistry provided free dental care to 73 children during its 10th annual Give Kids A Smile event on Feb. 11. The event delivered more than 600 procedures, valued at $18,148. Faculty and student volunteers provided comprehensive oral examinations, cleanings, fluoride treatments, sealants, and restorative procedures to… Read More

Veteran Physician and Educator Catherine Womack, MD, Takes Helm of Memphis Medical Society

Written by Chris Green

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Clinical CareEducationPublic Service
Portrait of Dr. Catherine Womack

Memphis is home to a thriving medical community, and Catherine Womack, MD, has spent her career at its center. An alumna of the University of Tennessee Health Science Center and a College of Medicine faculty member for more than 25 years, Dr. Womack now steps into a new role at the forefront of organized medicine… Read More

UT Health Sciences Well-Represented Among Exceptional Women in Medicine

Written by Allyson Lawson

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Clinical CareEducationPublic ServiceResearch
The University of Tennessee Health Science Center letters over stone arches, with red flowers in the foreground

The University of Tennessee Health Science Center is well-represented in the Castle Connolly 2026 Exceptional Women in Medicine listing, with dozens of physicians recognized through the peer-nomination process. The achievement is a testament to the exceptional quality of physicians caring for Memphis and the region. UT Health Sciences faculty honored in this year’s awards list… Read More