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Interview with Dr. Louis Faillace

This Digital Audio Tape (DAT) contains an interview with Louis A. Faillace, MD, founding Chair of the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and onetime Acting Dean at the University of Texas Medical School in Houston. The interview took place on September 29, 1995. The interviewer is unnamed, and the recording runs 1:24:37.
(0:01) Louis A. Faillace, MD recounts being recruited to the faculty of the University of Texas Medical School in Houston by Dr. Cheves Smythe. He relays his emphasis on biological psychology. He highlights the opportunity he saw in building a new school of medicine, contrasted with the challenges he encountered. He discusses Hermann Hospital, Dr. Smythe, the recruitment of faculty—some of whom he deemed “tigers”—and local and state political structures impacting the school. He laments the passing of Frank Erwin, who he claims “protected” school and its interests.
(14:40) He discusses Cheves Smythe, Bob Tuttle and Roger Bulger. He also traces with the development of Psychiatry at UT Houston, including the acquisition of more beds and funding.
(17:09) He recounts Cheves Smythe’s removal.
(22:35) He discusses Bob Tuttle, the improved relationships across departments, and Truman Blocker’s tenure.
(24:45) He discusses teaching and students. He notes that teaching was emphasized in the Psychiatry Department and argues it should have been more central in the rest of the School. He also discusses funding, “power brokers,” Baylor, and UT’s place as the “new kid on the block.”
(28:27) He discusses Hermann Hospital and the scandal there. He mentions Bill Smith, the trustees, the private doctors there. He also returns to the topic of power structures in the city and disparities between UT and Baylor.
(31:53) He mentions Bob Tuttle’s departure. He discusses Ernst Knobil and Knobil’s recruitment by Roger Bulger.
(35:26) He recounts his role in establishing UT’s affiliations with Harris County Psychiatric Center and the Texas Research Institute of Mental Sciences (TRIMS). He states, “I got ‘em both. Nobody else…. They’re there because of one person, that’s me.” He describes political maneuverings with Governor Hobby, Roger Bulger, and the State Legislature.
(42:04 He goes into more detail relating his pursuit of TRIMS, later the UT Mental Sciences Institute. He references Gary Miller, Charlie Mullins, and Stella Mullins.
(52:10) He recounts his appointment and service as Acting Dean of the Medical School.
(1:04:00) He gives his account of the Hermann Hospital story. He details conflict among John Ribble and the Department Chairmen, and ultimately his own firing.
(1:12:32) He returns to his time as Acting Dean to detail efforts to establish an affiliation with Lyndon Banes Johnson Hospital.
(1:18:40) He offers his thoughts on the state of medical care, particularly with regards to psychiatry, including the influence of managed care.
(1:22:00) He reflects on the state of UT Medical School in Houston. He emphasizes his focus on being a teacher and clinician.

Faillace, Louis

Interview with Dr. Al Gunn

This Digital Audio Tape (DAT) contains an interview with Albert E. (Al) Gunn, MD former Dean of Admissions at the University of Texas Medical School in Houston. The interview took place on September 18, 1995. The interviewer is unnamed, and the recording runs 1:07:04.
(0:01) As the recording begins, Dr. Gunn and the unnamed interviewer discuss the recording and sound quality and muse on perfectionism.
(1:45) Dr. Gunn recounts starting as Medical Director of the Rehabilitation Center at M. D. Anderson Hospital in 1975, having been recruited by Dr. R. Lee Clark. He describes coming to Medical School Grand Rounds to hear Dr. Kuykendahl, and how he met Dr. George Whalen, Chair of the Department of Gastroenterology, who was about to step in as Acting Chief. Dr. Gunn says he wanted to get involved in the School, and in 1976 started as an Assistant Professor teaching the Introduction to Clinical Medicine course. He recounts trying to get more students into M. D. Anderson. He claims Hermann had too many students, and that he wanted to bring students into Rehabilitation Center to make it more academic. But he got “infected” with teaching, students, and the fun of it.
(7:30) He describes being recruited for and taking on the position of Dean of Admissions for the Medical School. Starting the position in June 1979, Dr. Gunn notes that many of the School founders were still there and names the department chairs.
(10:18) Dr. Gunn outlines what the Medical School was like when he arrived. He mentions the Freeman Building, Dr. Charles Berry, and Dr. Truman Blocker. He details construction and emphasizes student-friendly building design. He fondly recalls that students were fun-loving—“rambunctious”—and says he appreciated their honesty and outspokenness. He highlights the common bond, improvisation, and shared experiences that set the atmosphere of the school.
(22:52) He discusses his work in admissions, saying it had been “a dream.” He names colleagues who facilitated the admissions process and made it fun. He does claim that medical school faculty could be uncomfortable with religious commitment, and he says that religion was removed from admissions discussions.
(26:12) He suggests they fostered a “Houston type” of student, and pitched the School’s faculty and atmosphere to prospects. He asserts they wanted students who saw medicine as a people-oriented-- not purely scientific – profession.
(29:30) He recalls a shortage of applicants when he first arrived. He credits Betty Murphy, Coordinator of Admissions, with ideas such as the first Parents Night at a medical school. He also credits Dr. Henry Strobel with the idea for a retreat, which came after flooding of the anatomy room. He says these things have persisted as traditions and made School what it is.
(31:53) He speaks about Dr. Louis Failliace, crises, and politics around the School. He claims students are too busy learning to worry about such things. He asserts the School survives because of the students.
(35:55) He discusses academic standards, noting the contributions of M. D. Anderson faculty. He discusses the University of Texas, funding, and the State Legislature. He considers the tension between focusing on primary care versus research.
(42:27) He says Admissions is looking for students whose picture of medicine is being with people, listening to people.
(49:07) He says one of their goals is to have the School in harmony with the racial and ethnic make-up of Texas. He says the School tries to do problem-based learning, not just memorization.
(52:00) Asked about student criticisms, he cites parking. He says at one point students felt there wasn’t enough clinical material, but the affiliation with Lyndon Baines Johnson Hospital helped alleviated that.
(54:15) He offers his impressions of personalities from the Medical School: Dr. Bob Tuttle, Dr. Ernst Knobil, Dr. Louis Faillace, Dr. Frank Webber, and Dr. John Ribble.
(1:03:06) He addresses the questions “why did you become a doctor?” and “What is a doctor?” He cites the appeal of an “immediate” way to help people. He says a doctor deals with dis-ease and the most important thing a doctor can do is alleviate pain.

Gunn, Albert E.

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