Research at Texas Tech Health El Paso

At Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso, we aspire to provide residents with opportunities that develop skills needed to plan, implement, and critically evaluate research.  We offer a unique and safe environment for a wide variety of research projects and scholarly activities including prospective and retrospective clinical studies, clinical trials, educational research, simulation-based research, case studies, and innovative medical techniques and practices. Our experienced faculty will help guide your research efforts during the three years you will train with us.

Here is an example of a research project completed during the 2019-2020 academic year.

Research Faculty:

Susan Watts

Susan Watts, Ph.D.

Associate Professor
Director of Research
Department of Emergency Medicine

Hometown/Birthplace: Born Ft Worth TX; grew up in El Paso

Undergrad: UTEP (Biological Sciences)

Grad school: Master’s degree-UTEP (Biological Sciences); PhD Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey (Ecology and Evolution)

Favorite thing about El Paso: The weather and the people.  After living on the East Coast, West Coast, Midwest, and Northwest US, it is wonderful to be in a city where the people are friendly, and the winters are mild and short!

Favorite thing about your job: The variety.  Emergency medicine involves many aspects of medicine and so does research in EM.  I get to do some teaching as well!

Hobbies/Interests: walking, biking, cooking and baking, reading, hanging out with friends, travel

Academic/educational/research interests: My personal research projects have been analyses of NHAMCS-ED data sets and collaborations with colleagues in SAEM’s Academy for Women in EM.  I have also published papers with my TT colleagues on projects involving loperamide misuse, energy drink adverse events, community acquired pneumonia, the NEAR database, and case reports.

Something unique or interesting about yourself: I didn’t start my PhD until I was 40 (but I finished before I was 45!). I was a medical technologist for 13-14 years before grad school and I was part-time faculty at UTEP before coming to TTUHSC.

 

Stormy Monks

Stormy Monks, Ph.D., MPH, CHES

Associate Professor, Department of Emergency Medicine
Core Consultant, Public Health Specialist, Southwest Center for Pediatric Environmental Health

Hometown/Birthplace: El Paso, Texas

Undergrad: University of Texas at El Paso – BS

Grad: New Mexico State University - MPH; University of Texas at El Paso - PhD

Favorite thing about El Paso: The star on the Franklin mountain

Favorite thing about your job: Working with awesome people

Hobbies/Interests: Spending time with family; church activities; attending concerts and the theater; reading; volunteering with non-profit organizations 

Academic/educational/research interests: Healthcare Simulation, Emergency Medicine, Medical Toxicology, Pediatric Environmental Health, Physician Wellness, Medical Ethics, Addiction, Alcohol & Substance Use and Abuse, Behavioral Health Interventions, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Self-efficacy, Sexual Victimization, Coping, Stress, Motivational Interviewing, Mental Health

Something unique or interesting about yourself: My husband and I have nine amazing children and three beautiful granddaughters.