Texas Medical Students Honor San Antonio Physician, Educator

May 2, 2014 

Aspiring physicians presented San Antonio physician K. Ashok Kumar, MD, the 2014 C. Frank Webber, MD, Award for his commitment to teaching medical students and mentoring them to become leaders in organized medicine. Dr. Kumar was recognized by the Texas Medical Association (TMA) Medical Student Section today during TMA’s annual conference in Fort Worth.

“It is a great honor and privilege to receive this recognition from the TMA Medical Student Section,” said Dr. Kumar. “I enjoy working with students and residents who make time in their busy schedules at medical school to participate in leadership activities within medicine and in their communities.”

Dr. Kumar is professor and vice chair of medical student education in the Department of Family and Community Medicine at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio (UTHSCSA). He also is director of the Family Medicine Clerkship.

Dr. Kumar “sows seeds of leadership starting in medical school and continuing through residency and into the early years of medical practice,” said nominating medical student Daniel Ayala, president of the UTHSCSA TMA chapter. “I have heard [Dr. Kumar] say ‘students are the future of medicine, our organization, and our country,’ ” added Mr. Ayala.

Dr. Kumar serves as faculty adviser for the UTHSCSA TMA chapter and the Family Medicine Interest Group, and also helps Frontera de Salud, a medical-student-run volunteer organization committed to bringing health care to the underserved.

He shares a passion for helping others, said Mr. Ayala, by linking students to community groups that help underinsured or underserved people. The students have helped San Antonio’s Haven for Hope, a homeless shelter, and have given away bicycle helmets at local events through TMA’s Hard Hats for Little Heads bicycle helmet giveaway program.  

Dr. Kumar also works to involve students in organized medicine. As president of the Bexar County Medical Society, he paves the way for students to serve on committees and is forming a local Young Physician Section. And as past president of the Texas Academy of Family Physicians and chair of the Commission on Membership at the American Academy of Family Physicians, Dr. Kumar eliminated membership dues for students so more could join.

Dr. Kumar is a board-certified family physician and is a graduate of Osmania Medical College in India. He completed a residency in general surgery at Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, Scotland, and a residency in family medicine at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Tyler. He joined the faculty of UTHSCSA in 2004 as a professor in the May Department of Family and Community Medicine.

Created in 1987, the C. Frank Webber, MD, Award is named after the late Texas family physician and educator C. Frank Webber, MD, former dean of The University of Texas Medical School at Houston. Dr. Webber’s efforts prompted the development of the strong student organization within TMA.

TMA is the largest state medical society in the nation, representing more than 47,000 physician and medical student members. It is located in Austin and has 112 component county medical societies around the state. TMA’s key objective since 1853 is to improve the health of all Texans. 

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Contact: Pam Udall (512) 370-1382; cell: (512) 413-6807; email: pam.udall[at]texmed[dot]org
Brent Annear (512) 370-1381; cell: (512) 656-7320; email: brent.annear[at]texmed[dot]org  

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Last Updated On

July 06, 2016

Originally Published On

May 01, 2014