TCOM welcomes newest fellows as the 2025-26 GCAM program begins
One of the longest-running academic programs for medical professionals in Texas is welcoming its newest cohort as UNT Health Fort Worth’s Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine begins its Graduate Certificate in Academic Medicine, or GCAM, program.
The newest GCAM Fellows began an intensive three-day kickoff featuring medical education courses in clinical teaching, curriculum design, learner assessment, educational scholarship and professional identity formation.
“We are very excited to welcome this cohort to campus and can’t wait to begin working with them,” said Sharon Manson, EdD, TCOM’s faculty development director. “We have a great group of physicians from all across Texas, and we look forward to helping them grow into well-rounded teachers and academic leaders.”
GCAM is a year-long faculty development program that equips clinicians with the knowledge and skills to excel as medical educators, leaders and scholars. The program began in 1978 in Waco and relocated to TCOM in 2012. Fellows focus on developing a solid base of core academic skills and a commitment to a career of teaching, scholarly investigation and leadership in health professions education.
The curriculum includes concentration areas in clinical teaching, curriculum design, professional academic development and research/scholarly activity skills. The program has more than 200 fellows, many of whom have returned to teach and mentor in Texas. The program lasts eight months and is conducted more than 14 on-campus sessions and 14 virtual sessions.
“We want to shape these fellows throughout the year through mentoring and challenging them so they have the tools to be successful in academic medicine and as medical education leaders,” Manson said. “This is a very talented group that will be coming to campus and we want them to leave here next year with all of the knowledge and confidence to do even more.”
The seven fellows include TCOM faculty member Dr. Christopher Medina and 2023 TCOM graduate Dr. Sadie Thompson.
2025–26 GCAM Fellows
- Robert Lucas, DO – chief resident, Lake Granbury Medical Center ONMM Residency
- Christopher Medina, DO – assistant professor, UNT Health-TCOM, Family Medicine/ONMM
- Camelia Mitchell Rigsby, MD – core faculty, Texas Rehabilitation Fort Worth, PM&R
- Demequa Moore, MD – core faculty and clerkship director OB/Gyn, JPS Obstetrics & Gynecology Residency
- James Pittman, MD – junior faculty, UT Health Science Center, Athens Family Medicine
- Kate Rameden-Tipton, MD – junior faculty, UT Tyler Family Medicine Residency
- Sadie Thompson, DO – chief resident, JPS Family Medicine Residency
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