Texas Medical Association Awards Minority Scholarships

Main Category: Medical Students / Training
Also Included In: Public Health
Article Date: 07 May 2008 - 5:00 PDT

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Eight Texas minority college students about to enter medical school each have received a $5,000 scholarship from the Texas Medical Association (TMA). America's largest state medical society awarded the scholarships to the students at TexMed, TMA's annual conference and expo, held this year in San Antonio. Since 1999, TMA has awarded scholarships to encourage outstanding minority students to enter the medical profession and help meet the medical needs of Texas' diverse population. To date, TMA has awarded 38 scholarships, totaling $190,000.

TMA selected the scholarship recipients from a pool of minority students who have been accepted to enter a Texas medical school this fall. Each honoree demonstrated outstanding community service, health care experience, and academic standings.

The eight scholarships are made possible through a grant from the association's philanthropic arm, the TMA Foundation, thanks to generous gifts from physicians and their families, and others.

2008 TMA Minority Scholarship Recipients:

Jessica Brown of Waco graduated from Texas Christian University at Fort Worth. She will attend The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio this fall. As a recipient of the Gates Millennium Scholarship, Ms. Brown was introduced to the field of public health. She plans to attain a master of public health degree and a medical degree, and believes the combination will enable her to treat patients while helping to organize and implement new strategies in overall community health. A gift from H-E-B provided Ms. Brown's scholarship.

Denise Fraga of McAllen graduated from the University of Notre Dame. She will begin her study of medicine at The University of Texas Houston Health Science Center in the fall. Ms. Fraga plans to return to the Rio Grande Valley to practice family medicine with training in public health and health care policy so she can address complex border health problems and help the uninsured population there. Ms. Fraga's scholarship was provided through a gift from Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas.

Robert Knotts of El Paso graduated from The University of Texas at Austin. He will attend Baylor College of Medicine this fall. Mr. Knotts is a Nationally Registered Emergency Medical Technician and has cardiopulmonary resuscitation certification as a professional rescuer. He also has dedicated much of his time to volunteering and mentoring youth. These experiences have led him to choose cardiology as his medical specialty, and he is dedicated to providing quality care and continuing education to all of his patients. Mr. Knotts' scholarship was provided through gifts from the Dallas, El Paso, Harris, Tarrant, and Travis county medical societies.

David Padro of San Antonio graduated from The University of Texas at San Antonio. He will begin his medical study at the University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth this fall. Mr. Padro served more than four years in the military, where he achieved several accomplishments including graduating from Airborne School and Ranger School, and attaining a paramedic license. These experiences influenced him to become a family medicine physician. An anonymous donor funded Mr. Padro's scholarship.

Alem Tewoldeberhan of Murphy, Tex. graduated from Prairie View A&M University at Prairie View. He begins his study of medicine at The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas this fall. Mr. Tewoldeberhan was an intern in the Collegiate Fellows Program at Parkland Memorial Hospital in Dallas, and volunteered at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, where he learned the needs of medically underserved people. These experiences influenced him to become an internist and oncologist. Mr. Tewoldeberhan's scholarship was provided through a gift from Dr. James T. and Mrs. Cecilia S. Norwood.

Jaime Villarreal of Laredo graduated from The University of Texas-Pan American at Edinburg. He will attend The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston in the fall. Mr. Villarreal hopes that becoming a cardiovascular surgeon will allow him not only to treat his patients, but also to educate them about good health. He also aspires to lobbying the government for health care improvement. Mr. Villarreal's scholarship was provided through a gift from an anonymous donor.

Kristen Wells of Big Spring, Tex. graduated from Midwestern State University at Wichita Falls. She will attend Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center in the fall. Ms. Wells spent almost two years shadowing two family physicians in a rural town, where she gained practical hands-on medical experience. This experience led her to choose family medicine as her field of study. Ms. Wells plans to practice medicine in a rural town of fewer than 10,000 residents. Her scholarship was provided through a gift from an anonymous donor.

Alvin Wyatt of Coldspring, Tex. graduated from The University of Texas at Austin. He will attend Texas A&M University Health Science Center this fall. Mr. Wyatt has advanced training in chemistry and biochemistry, and is committed to continuing his education. He plans on a career in emergency medicine, and seeks to serve disadvantaged and uninsured Texas patients. Gifts from Dr. and Mrs. Jim and Charli Rohack; Gene K. Richard, MD; McLennan and Hidalgo-Starr county medical societies; and Wendell Daniels, MD, in memory of Ms. Ona Daniels, funded Mr. Wyatt's scholarship.

TMA is the largest state medical society in the nation, representing more than 43,000 physician and medical student members. It is located in Austin and has 120 component county medical societies around the state. TMA's key objective since 1853 is to improve the health of all Texans.

Texas Medical Association