Beatriz Tapia, MD, EdD, MPH, is the Associate Dean of Faculty Affairs and an Associate Professor of Population Health at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley in Harlingen, Texas. Dr. Tapia is a native of Chicago, Illinois. She attended the Autonomous University of Puebla in Mexico, where she received her MD, and the Bloomberg School of Public Health at Johns Hopkins University (JHSPH), in Baltimore, Maryland, where she received her Master’s in Public Health. In addition to her MPH, Dr. Tapia trained in occupational health and environmental medicine, health disparities and health inequality at the JHSPH. Dr. Tapia is also a recent graduate of a Doctor of Education in Professional Leadership with an Emphasis in Health Science Education from the University of Houston.
Dr. Tapia is also a founding member for the Texas Consortium for Faculty Success (TCFS), established in 2016. The TCFS is a professional community of faculty and administrative leaders responsible for faculty affairs and faculty development in Texas' academic health institutions.
Dr. Tapia is a strong advocate for the medically underserved; she continuously provides environmental and public health education to promotoras (lay healthcare workers), public health professionals, and community centers. Her research interests are border health, environmental medicine, public health, minority health, faculty development, and medical education research.
Key Roles and Responsibilities
Associate Dean of Faculty Development
Develop and update faculty policies and procedures to meet institutional and accreditation standards by implementing and enhancing policies and practices.
Head the educational program for the CME Office and align it with its vision and strategic plan.
Organize skill-building seminars, workshops, and programs to support faculty growth and success.
Lead the Office of Faculty Affairs, overseeing faculty appointment and promotion processes and recruitment and retention of volunteer faculty, focusing on adherence to university policies, among others.
Train CME staff, physicians, and planners to improve CME planning and documentation processes.
Work with University and School of Medicine leadership to meet the rules and requirements outlined by the UT System Board of Regents, the UTRGV Handbook of Policies, and the UTRGV School of Medicine.