A Trailblazer in Education

Now, Houston Methodist celebrates her contributions while wishing her much success as she takes on the role of Associate Dean for Student Affairs with EnMed at Texas A&M. Wright has left her mark not only on the Houston Methodist Academic Institute but also on the students who were under her wing. “Amy was like a second mom to us,” said Dixita Viswanath, MD, PhD, who grew to know Wright when she was a student on the TMC campus. “She’s always had an open door—there to listen to any problem we had, any life update or anything exciting. I really don’t think I would’ve been able to finish my PhD successfully without her.” Currently a second-year resident at NewYork-Presbyterian/Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital and Columbia University Irving Medical Center Pediatric Residency Program, Viswanath said the program, which Wright assisted in establishing, opened her eyes to fields of research. “I went into the MD/PhD program knowing that I wanted to pursue a career in research, but I didn't know exactly what type of field I would do specifically,” Viswanath added. “I learned that there could be other things in science. What is technology research? What are the different types of innovations that could be performed in the biotech world to help clinicians solve clinical problems, rather than just search for mechanistic issues, which was how I was trained. It really shaped what I want for my career.” Trevor Burt, MS, EdD, Chief Education Officer, Houston Methodist Academic Institute and Vice President, Education Institute, said “Amy’s visionary leadership and boundless energy have shaped countless learners and opened doors for future innovation at Houston Methodist. Her commitment to the establishment of our joint programs and most importantly our learners is unmatched. It will be hard to imagine her not at the helm, but we are deeply grateful for the strong foundation she leaves behind and that she will remain with our EnMed partnership program.”