Message from the Vice President
Vice President for Outreach and Community Engagement
Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso
Professor, Department of Pediatrics
As the newly appointed Vice President for Outreach and Community Engagement, Dr. de la Rosa serves as the liaison between the university and the El Paso community. He is charged with fostering relationships that will advance education at TTUHSC El Paso. He also works closely with Federally Qualified Health Centers, the Border Health Commission, Hispanic Chamber, school districts, and medical societies to strengthen and develop community relations and partnerships.
Dr. de la Rosa portrait pictureIn 1997, soon after his appointment as Regional Dean for the School of Medicine at TTUHSC El Paso, Dr. de la Rosa set a goal of bringing a full-fledged four-year medical school to the El Paso community. He was appointed as the Founding Dean for the Paul L. Foster School of Medicine in November 2007. The Paul L. Foster School of Medicine received its LCME accreditation on Feb. 6, 2008, and welcomed its inaugural class of first-year medical students in July 2009. In May 2013, the first class graduated from the Paul L. Foster School of Medicine. With the establishment of the Gayle Greve Hunt School of Nursing, Dr. de la Rosa was appointed as Vice President for Health Affairs in May 2011. The Hunt School of Nursing’s first class graduated in December 2012. TTUHSC El Paso was designated a free-standing university on May 18, 2013. The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board established the TTUHSC El Paso Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences in August 2014. This milestone brought the full resources of both a medical school and health sciences center to the El Paso community.
Prior to his services as the Founding Dean for the Paul L. Foster School of Medicine, as a professor of pediatrics, Dr. de la Rosa's involvement with the community led to the establishment of the Kellogg Community Partnership Clinics, which were four school-based clinics that provided interdisciplinary education and funded health services to colonia residents in El Paso's Lower Valley. In an effort to focus the nation's attention on health issues on the border, he served many times as a spokesman in various media outlets, including National Public Radio Broadcasts, Life Magazine, and the Dallas Morning News. Appointed by former President George Bush in 2003, Dr. de la Rosa continues to serve as a member of the United States/Mexico Border Health Commission where he advocates for health issues on the border. He represents the American Academy of Pediatrics in its partnership with the CDC in addressing Zika awareness on the U.S.-Mexico Border and is an advocate for care of multiple populations.
Dr. de la Rosa remains active as a member of the American Association of Medical Colleges, the American Medical Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics and various other national organizations. At the local level, he serves as a member of the Executive Committee and Board of the Catholic Foundation for the Diocese of El Paso.
Teaching Interest(s): Pediatrics
Research Interest(s): Zika, H.Pylori, Border Health
Our office was established in mid-2018 to provide strategic leadership and support for Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso’s outreach and engagement with our community in the Paso del Norte and Border Regions, the State of Texas, our nation, and the world. We promote faculty, staff, and student community engagement by fostering bilaterally beneficial partnerships between members of our new university and the community. Ranging from pairing of community needs with campus expertise, to convening meetings to facilitate relevant communication between our campus family members and external stakeholders, the purpose of our office is to serve as the institutional liaison and central resource for faculty and community partnerships.
We hope to use this convening authority to facilitate the coordination of student service groups, who provide access to care for identified vulnerable populations, to assist in the development of Pathway Programs with local schools to increase local student knowledge and interest in medical fields, expand global and binational health education opportunities for our students and faculty, as well as increase our engagement with the entire Paso del Norte community through identified activities such as Summits, Symposiums, and Service days.
If we can provide any assistance, please feel free to contact our office at 915-215-4299.