H.R. No. 477

R E S O L U T I O N

WHEREAS, Baylor College of Medicine in 2025 is marking the 125th anniversary of its founding; and

WHEREAS, Founded in 1900 by a group of physicians in Dallas, the school was originally named the University of Dallas Medical Department; three years later, the school became affiliated with Baylor University in Waco and was renamed Baylor University College of Medicine; and

WHEREAS, In 1943, the MD Anderson Foundation invited Baylor University College of Medicine to join the Texas Medical Center in Houston, and the school opened with 131 students; four years later, Baylor moved to its present site in the Roy and Lillie Cullen Building, which is now a state-designated historical landmark; and

WHEREAS, The college became an independent institution in 1969, which allowed it access to federal research funding, and changed its name to Baylor College of Medicine; and

WHEREAS, Today, Baylor College of Medicine is one of the top medical research institutions in the nation; it consists of the School of Medicine, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, School of Health Professions, and National School of Tropical Medicine; and

WHEREAS, Baylor College of Medicine ranks first in Texas and 20th in the country in funding from the National Institutes of Health, and it is classified as a Tier One medical school by U.S. News & World Report; and

WHEREAS, Baylor College of Medicine is committed to the education of the next generation of health care providers and scientists and to ensuring there are enough medical professionals to serve the state's residents, with nearly half of the graduating medical students continuing their medical training in Texas; in 2023, the inaugural class of medical students started at Baylor's regional medical school campus in Temple, in a partnership with Baylor Scott & White Health to address the state's shortage of rural caregivers, and 92 percent of that class consists of students from Texas; and

WHEREAS, At the forefront of basic and translational science, Baylor College of Medicine contributes significantly to the understanding of diseases in humans and beyond, with the goal of discovering how diseases develop and finding treatments and cures for them; this distinguished work includes pioneering the field of cardiovascular surgery, which today extends to serving as a leader in the area of robotic heart surgery; the college also plays a major role in sequencing the human genome, developing the field of molecular endocrinology, and innovating lifesaving screening techniques and a vaccine for a deadly disease in elephants; and

WHEREAS, Baylor College of Medicine serves the community through excellent primary and specialty patient care, with its physicians seeing patients at a number of Texas Medical Center facilities, including Baylor St. Luke's Medical Center, Texas Children's Hospital, the Michael E. DeBakey Veterans Affairs Medical Center, and Harris Health System; the college's physicians also serve community health clinics in the Greater Houston area as well as CHRISTUS Children's in San Antonio, and they further benefit Texans through community outreach and volunteerism, providing high-quality health care services and engaging in initiatives to improve public health and well-being; and

WHEREAS, Baylor College of Medicine's work in the community extends to K-12 education through the development of curriculum and interactive teaching materials by the college's scientists and educators for elementary and secondary school learners; the college also offers training opportunities for local middle school and high school science teachers, including at the Michael E. DeBakey High School for Health Professions in Houston; through these free programs, the college helps to promote science learning and develop children's interest in STEM and medicine career pathways; and

WHEREAS, Baylor College of Medicine partners with a growing number of schools and school districts across the state of Texas to prepare youth for jobs in the health and biomedical workforce, addressing shortages of professionals such as nurses, mental health professionals, and clinical laboratory technicians; each year, more than 3,000 Texas students participate in Baylor College of Medicine-associated magnet school programs; and

WHEREAS, Dedicated to the advancement of high-quality, ethical care in communities around the world, Baylor College of Medicine offers pediatric and family-centered services in the areas of HIV/AIDS, cancer, maternal health, and orthopedics, and it provides training and technical assistance to health care professionals, enhancing the quality of treatment in the regions they serve; and

WHEREAS, For more than a century, Baylor College of Medicine has been a resource of immeasurable value to the Lone Star State, and during this milestone year, it is fitting to acknowledge its longstanding commitment to improving health through science, scholarship, and innovation; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 89th Texas Legislature hereby commemorate the 125th anniversary of Baylor College of Medicine and extend to all those associated with the institution sincere best wishes for continued success; and, be it further

RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be prepared for Baylor College of Medicine as an expression of high regard by the Texas House of Representatives.

Johnson

______________________________ Speaker of the House

I certify that H.R. No. 477 was adopted by the House on March 31, 2025, by a non-record vote.

______________________________ Chief Clerk of the House