Profile: Sambandam Elango, MD, FACS, M MED Ed

Sambandam Elango

Title(s): Senior Associate Dean of Educational Affairs, Chair of Medical Education, Professor of Medical Education
Unit(s): Medical Education, Undergraduate Medical Education, Dean, Chair

Contact Info
ETBLC 2.113
956-296-1954
Sambandam.Elango@utrgv.edu




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Biography

Dr. Sambandam Elango is the Senior Associate Dean for Educational Affairs (UME) and Chair for the Department of Medical Education at UTRGV School of Medicine. Dr. Elango has over three decades of experience in UME and GME. Prior to joining UTRGV, Dr. Elango has worked in two medical schools in California, contributing to the development of an innovative curriculum and in the preparation for the provisional LCME accreditation.

Key Roles and Responsibilities

Senior Associate Dean of Educational Affairs

  • Oversees the daily operations of the Undergraduate Medical Education (UME) curriculum liaising closely with Assistant Deans of Clerkship and Pre-Clerkship, administrative staff, faculty, and leadership to ensure timely and cohesive delivery of the curriculum.
  • Assists in the design, delivery, and management of the UME curriculum in alignment with LCME standards.
  • Works closely with faculty and curriculum leadership team to create, implement, and assess curricular innovations.
  • Oversees all aspects related to the evaluation of the curriculum including student, faculty, and resident evaluations.
  • Oversees clerkship and pre-clerkship module development and review.
  • Oversees the day-to-day operations of the Office of Educational Affairs

Chair of Medical Education

  • Shall be directly accountable to the Dean.
  • Shall be responsible for the administration of his/her Department/Center/Institute.
  • Shall hold regular meetings of the Department/Center/Institute faculty to present pertinent information and to discuss issues that may include, among others, Department/Center/Institute or SOM policies, educational, research and service programs, long-range objectives, and current problems. Chairpersons of larger Departments and Directors of larger Centers/Institutes that have been divided into Sections/Programs may elect to have regular meetings with the SectionsChiefs/Program Directors rather than with the entire faculty, with the expectation that the Chiefs will meet with their section/program faculty to present and discuss matters from the Section Chiefs'/Program Directors' meetings at regular intervals.
  • Shall recruit and recommend to the Dean the appointment of faculty and other personnel.
  • Shall be responsible for his/her Department's/Center's/Institute’s role in carrying out the programs that are the responsibility of SOM faculty.
  • Shall be responsible for the implementation of all UTRGV and SOM policies and regulations applicable to the Department/Center/Institute.
  • Shall prepare the Department/Center/Institute budget to be submitted to the Dean annually including recommendations for compensation of both faculty and non-faculty personnel.
  • Shall be responsible for the budgetary control of his/her Department/Center/Institute and for the allocation of space within his/her Department/Center/Institute.
  • Shall recommend faculty appointments, promotions, and tenure to the Dean and pertinent UTRGV SOM committee for review and processing.
  • Shall organize the Department/Center/Institute in a way that best serves the needs of the Department/Center/Institute and SOM and provide for appropriate interaction with Department/Center/Institute faculty and between its faculty and leadership.
  • Shall be responsible for the career development and mentoring of faculty members in his/her department.