2018 TEXAS LAUREATE BIOS

Sue S. Bornstein, MD, FACP

Dr. Sue Scher Bornstein, M.D., F.A.C.P. is a native Texan. Her parents, Dr. David and Ilaine Bornstein were prominent members of the Dallas community and her father a well-respected internist at Baylor University Medical Center. During her long and distinguished career, Dr. Bornstein has demonstrated the highest ideals of servant leadership in education, innovation and quality patient care.

Prior to entering medical school she graduated cum laude from the University of Texas in Austin with a Bachelor of Arts in English. She continued her scholarly pursuits and received a Master of Arts in Studies in Aging and subsequently served as Executive Director of the Golden Manor and Dallas Home for the Jewish Aged. While working with the frail and elderly, Dr. Bornstein became inspired to enter the field of medicine. She subsequently received her Doctor of Medicine from the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center School of Medicine in 1992. She completed her internship and residency at Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas. Dr. Bornstein has received numerous awards from her peers including the Gold Headed Cane Award while in medical school, Distinguished Alumna from the University of North Texas Center for Studies in Aging, and numerous outstanding teacher awards from Baylor University Medical Center.

In 2005, Dr. Bornstein became the first woman in Baylor University Medical Center’s one hundred year history to be elected as President of the Medical Staff. In 2016, she received the Distinguished Alumna Award from Texas Tech School of Medicine. She has served on the Board of Directors of the Texas Chapter of the American College of Physicians for twelve years. She recently completed her tenure as Governor of the Texas Chapter Northern Region, currently serves as a Regent of the American College of Physicians, and is a member of the Board of Trustees of the Texas Medical Association. Over the years, Dr. Bornstein has committed to the promotion of quality health care for all Texas by chairing and serving on numerous committees of the ACP, TMA and DCMS.

Dr. Bornstein brought the concept of the “Medical Home” to Texas a decade ago and is currently the Executive Director of the Texas Medical Home Initiative. Dr. Bornstein’s most recent scholarly activity include a landmark paper published in this year’s Annals of Internal Medicine titled “Women’s Health Policy in the US: An ACP Position Paper.” In her spare time, Dr. Bornstein enjoys fly-fishing, Masters swimming, and time on her ranch with her beloved pets, Annie and Emma. She cherishes her role as sister to Ann Richman and aunt to three awesome nieces. She lives with her spouse, Dr. Alex Gillespie, whose complete and loving support has immeasurably contributed to her success. Dr. Sue Bornstein exemplifies the virtues of a Chapter Laureate demonstrating a commitment to excellence for her patients, the community, and Texas internal medicine.  She is a tireless advocate for all patients in the State and beyond and leads with wisdom, strategy and passion towards a healthier tomorrow for all Texans.

Fabrizia Faustinella, MD, FACP

Dr. Faustinella is currently associate professor of medicine at Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX. She obtained a medical degree at the University of Perugia Medical School and a PhD degree at the University of Florence  Medical School, in Italy. Dr. Faustinella’s  Baylor career started in Dr. Lawrence Chan's lab, in the Department of Cell Biology, where her research has contributed to the elucidation of the structural and functional role of the catalytic triad of the Human Lipoprotein Lipase (hLPL), an essential enzyme in lipoprotein metabolism.    Her interest in the molecular basis of genetic diseases and in gene therapy brought her to Dr. Tom Caskey's lab, in the Department of Molecular Genetics at Baylor, where she contributed to the isolation of a Miller-Dicker lissencephaly gene and developed a new family of retroviral vectors with multiple cloning sites for gene therapy. Later she completed a residency program in internal medicine at Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, readdressing her career choices to reflect her commitment to outstanding patient care and educational excellence, through advocacy, service, education and scholarship. Over the past several years, Dr. Faustinella has worked in the Texas Medical Center as a faculty member at Baylor College of Medicine and the University of Texas Health Science Center, now The John P. McGovern Medical School, where she has received multiple awards and recognitions for her contributions to education and patient care. She’s currently focused on access to health care by racial and ethnic minorities, health care disparities, patient advocacy and medical narrative.  

Bernard Karnath, MD, FACP

It is an honor to introduce one of this year’s Texas ACP laureates, Dr. Bernard M. Karnath.  Dr. Karnath is a product and current pillar of UT Medical Branch, graduating from that school, and completing his internal medicine residency at UT Medical Branch, before joining their faculty in 1997, where he has remained since.  He has been a distinguished clinician, educator and scholar, and currently holds the position of Tenured Professor in the Division of General Internal Medicine at UYMB.

Dr. Karnath has served as a role model clinician for students, residents and fellow faculty members.  He has been recognized with the Distinguished Clinician Teacher Award, the Academy of Oslerian Medicine Excellence in Clinical Teaching, the Golden Apple Award for Clinician Educators, and the James Powers Memorial Award for teacher of clinical services.  He was named as one of the Most Outstanding Doctors of the Year at St. Vincent’s Clinic which provides clinical experiences for UTMB students while providing care for unfunded and underfunded patients. He serves as a mentor to faculty as part of the Rene Laennec Society of the Academy of Oslerian Medicine, and to students as the Faculty Advisor to the local chapter of Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society.

He has been one of the core educators at UTMB.  He has served in many key positions.  These include Assistant Course Director in the Practice of Medicine Year 1 and Year 2, Course Director in the Practice of Medicine Year 2, Co-leader of the Academy of Master Teachers, and Director of the UTMB Academy of Master Teachers.  He has received virtually all of the UTMB teaching awards, and was honored with the prestigious University of Texas System Regents Outstanding Teaching Award. As a scholar, Dr. Karnath was inducted as a William Osler Scholar in the John P. McGovern Academy of Oslerian Medicine at UTMB.  He has published 76 articles in peer reviewed journals, with numerous other presentations and posters at local, regional, and national meetings.  He holds three endowed professorships.

Dr. Karnath has been a strong supporter of the ACP.  He has been a member for 23 years and a fellow for 13 years.  He has mentored numerous medical students and residents in regional and national presentations.  He was the course co-director for the UTMB Internal Medicine CME Course.  In recognition of all of his contributions, Dr. Karnath was awarded the ACP’s highest national award, the Herbert Waxman Award.  We are pleased today to recognize his many contributions with the ACP Texas Chapter Laureate Award.