TMA GRANTS
In support of TMA’s population health, science, and quality of care priorities
Vaccines Defend What Matters (VDWM): VDWM is TMA’s integrated, multimedia education and advocacy effort to overcome vaccine hesitancy and increase vaccination rates in Texas. VDWM sends a strong message from today’s medical heroes that choosing to be immunized against COVID-19 and other infectious disease safeguards good health, jobs, schools, and the Texas economy. VDWM educates leaders and policymakers about the importance of vaccines, physicians on how to counter vaccine hesitancy in their patients, and the public on the impact immunization can have on their lives. VDWM supports grants to county medical societies and TMA Alliance and medical student chapters that want to bring the campaign’s message into their communities through outreach and opportunities to become vaccinated.
TMA’s Hard Hats for Little Heads (HHLH): HHLH encourages safe exercise and prevention of life-altering or fatal brain injuries to Texas children engaged in wheeled sports. Since inception in 1994, more than 375,000 free helmets have been given to youths aged 14 and younger at community events such as bicycle safety rodeos and health fairs. TMA and TMA Alliance members and community collaborators educate parents and children about the importance of wearing a properly fitted helmet when bicycling, inline skating, skateboarding, or riding a scooter.
TMA’s Ernest and Sarah Butler Awards for Excellence in Science Teaching: TMA is committed to elevating the importance of science in our modern society by recognizing and rewarding outstanding science teachers in elementary and junior and senior high schools. Since 1990, TMA has helped increase science literacy by providing cash awards to winning teachers and their schools to enhance their science curriculum.
TMA’s Diversity in Medicine Scholarship (DMS, formerly the Minority Scholarship Program): Established in 1998, the scholarships were designed as a unique means to fill a gap brought about by the Hopwood ruling barring public medical schools from offering minority-specific scholarships. In Texas, minority groups underrepresented regarding population-to-physician ratios are Hispanic, Black, and Native American. Annually, a qualified student entering each of Texas’ medical schools is selected to receive a $10,000 scholarship and named a “Bayardo Scholar” after Dr. and Mrs. Roberto Bayardo who established a fund that provides major support for this program.
Walk with a Doc Texas (WWAD): WWAD engages physicians and their patients and the community in healthy physical activity to reverse the consequences of a sedentary lifestyle, especially obesity. In 2022, 56 host sites held a total of 520 events with more than 5,200 participants. 21 sites were in medically underserved or rural communities. Participants enjoy a healthy snack and a brief health-related presentation before each 45–90-minute walk.
TMA Alliance Texas Bookshare: The BookShare program promotes healthy habits in children of all ages by supplying them with books on topics such as the importance of physical activity, growing fruits and vegetables, and maintaining a healthy diet. County chapters collaborate with local pediatricians and family physicians to distribute books to young patients. Inside each book is a personal message of encouragement from an alliance member.
History of Medicine Banner Program: This program enables TMA’s History of Medicine Committee to offer the seven exhibit banner sets to schools, libraries and other venues that educate the public on a range of health and medical subjects, enhance the image of physicians, and encourage the pursuit of research and science education. The banners promote TMA’s patient health advocacy goals through education and historical content.
Family of Funds
The Family of Funds (FOF) is the umbrella for TMAF funds and endowments that support the charitable health improvement and education goals of TMA and TMAA members and the related efforts of TMA county medical societies and TMA alliance and medical student chapters.
TMAF Hispanic Nursing Scholarship Trust Fund of Dr. Roberto J. and Agniela (Annie) M. Bayardo: This fund provides scholarships annually for selected nursing students in Harris and Travis counties and is administered by the Harris County Medical Society Alliance Philanthropic Fund and the Travis County Medical Society Alliance Foundation.
TMAF Medical Student Scholarship and Grant Trust Fund of Dr. Roberto J. and Agniela (Annie) M. Bayardo: TMA County Medical Societies and alliance chapters that have a medical student scholarship program may apply for scholarship grant funds that match their scholarship (up to $5,000). This fund also supports TMAF community health grants to TMA medical student chapters.
TMAF Hispanic Medical Student Scholarship Fund of Dr. Roberto J. and Agniela (Annie) M. Bayardo: This fund provides scholarships to Hispanic individuals accepted to or attending a Texas medical school. TMA County Medical Societies and alliance chapters that have a medical student scholarship program may apply for scholarship grants that match their scholarship (up to $5,000).
TMAF Radha, Naren & Hitaine Endowment for Medical Student Scholarships by Shakuntala and Mahendra Patel, MD: This endowment support a scholarship to Hispanic, Asian, or Black Texas medical school students entering the second, third or fourth year of medical school with demonstrated financial aid. This scholarship is administered through the Lubbock County Medical Society and its medical student scholarship program in concert with Texas Tech University Health Science Center School of Medicine in Lubbock.
Medical Community Grants
County medical societies and alliance and TMA medical student chapters may apply for a grant to support their community health improvement initiative focused on any TMA priorities in the areas of population health and science and TMA organizational focus areas of population health, medical education, and quality of care.
Physician Coaching and Wellness Program/ Bexar County Medical Society: This program provides an effective, evidenced-based physician coaching experience that decreases burnout, improves wellness, and empowers physicians to lead with confidence. A Certified Physician Coach leads engaging didactic and group coaching sessions that foster a leadership mindset and builds community each month. Participants will access a website for recorded didactics, worksheets, and resources to utilize on demand. A monthly CME Wellness Webinar will be offered to enhance leadership skills and professional development.”
NEW! Remote Disabled Patient Health Monitoring Program/El Paso County Medical Society: This pilot provides 10 disabled patients with telehealth devices, supervised care, and personalized education and include patient treatment plans, perform check-ins, and remotely monitor patient vitals collected via telehealth devices. It will be carried out under the auspices of RotaCare's Physiatry and Sports Medicine Specialty Clinic.
Promoting Emotional Wellness and Healthy Hygiene Habits with Elementary Students/The Nueces County Medical Society Alliance (NCMSA): NCMSA will partner with Nueces County Medical Society to address how the overall health of a child impacts their potential success in school utilizing their “Reading with a Doc” program and the assembly of hygiene kits to support the students' needs for specific hygiene and health related items such as lice shampoo and maxi pads as well as gently used replacement clothing for the students.
Diabetes Care for the Underserved in Williamson County/Travis County Medical Alliance and Foundation: Travis County Medical Alliance members will provide hands-on volunteer assistance for the Sacred Heart Community Clinic's Diabetic Care Program. The program provides medical supplies, prescription medications, and nutrition education to enhance overall health and quality of life for people with chronic health conditions.
Project Access Tarrant County/Tarrant County Medical Society: Project Access Tarrant County (PATC) is a community collaboration that provides compassionate specialty care at no charge for Tarrant County’s uninsured. A network of volunteer TMA member physicians collaborate with hospitals, donated ancillary services, charitable community clinics, and other providers to serve the uninsured working poor. Since inception in 2011, PATC has enrolled more than 2,100 patients and provided more than $18 million in donated care that this population would have been otherwise unable to obtain.
Immunization Collaboration of Tarrant County (ICTC)/Tarrant County Medical Society Alliance Foundation (TCMSAF): With a membership of more than 35 organizations including TCMSAF, this program annually provides 1) low cost vaccine events serving more than 7,000 eligible children and adults with required vaccines for kindergarten, 7th grade and college school registrations; 2) vaccine education for parents, the community, health care workers and providers through website and social media channels and; 3) vaccine advocacy collaboration with TMA and The Immunization Partnership leading to science-based vaccine policies.
Physician Wellness Program/Travis County Medical Society (TCMS): This wellness program offers counseling sessions to TCMS members and their spouses/partners as well as an annual CME symposium focused on specific aspects of physician wellness, such as stress and burnout. All members receive a weekly email that features practical resources for physician health and well-being.
Medical Student Community Leadership Grants
Funding for these grants is made possible by the TMAF Medical Student Scholarship and Grant Trust Fund of Dr. Roberto J. and Agniela (Annie) M. Bayardo.
Alliance Refugee Health Fair/Baylor College of Medicine: This annual event addresses the healthcare inequities faced by Houston's underserved refugee population by providing direct medical and preventative health services, education about health and wellbeing, and resources for greater access to care. Working with various local refugee aid organizations and resettlement agencies, students provide refugees with culturally competent resources to navigate the Harris Health System and other local services, thus allowing an healthier transition to self-sustained living.
NEW! Skin Talks/Baylor College of Medicine: Skin Talks is a public service-learning initiative to educate underserved populations about skin health and the prevention of dermatological conditions. The program will reach underrepresented populations to spread awareness of dermatologic issues that affect these groups and increase inclusivity and representation in the field of dermatology.
NEW! Women's Health Screening and Immunization for Underserved Populations/Texas A&M School of Medicine: The Women's Health Screening and Immunization for Underserved Populations will be held on Saturday, April 15, 2023 at the Volunteer Healthcare Clinic. The program is aimed to serve primarily refugee and immigrant women, in Austin. Services will include breast and cervical cancer screenings, blood pressure, glucose, and hematocrit screenings, health education, and immunizations, particularly the most recent COVID-19 booster.
NEW! Agape ‘Spring Into Health’ Community Fair/Texas A&M School of Medicine Dallas Campus: A large coalition of organizations will provide free preventative screenings, health education, and resources at the Agape ‘Spring Into Health’ Community Fair on April 15th, 2023 at the Agape Clinic facility. This bilingual event will be directed towards underserved, predominantly LEP Hispanic community members, particularly those who comprise the patient population of the Agape Clinic, a student-led clinic that serves thousands of uninsured patients annually.
NEW! Maroon Health Free Clinic/Texas A&M College of Medicine - Houston Campus: Maroon Health is a Texas A&M medical student-run free clinic in the Houston area. Current initiatives include a partnership with Open Gate Homeless Ministries to provide medical care biweekly to unhoused participants in Montrose. The program meets participants where they are at the outreach center to provide same-day well checks, sick visits, and patient education that they otherwise would not have the opportunity to receive.
NEW! Mental Health for Mamas/Texas Christian University School of Medicine: According to the Center for Disease Control, more than 80% of maternal deaths between 2017-2019 were preventable and for the first time in specific populations, mental health conditions were the leading underlying cause of pregnancy-related deaths. To increase sense of community and support among this population and subsequently decrease rates of postpartum depression medical students will conduct focus groups to determine what resources are currently available to expectant mothers in a predominantly African-American neighborhood in South East Fort Worth as well as what resources this population could benefit from.
NEW! Menstruation Education for Tarrant County Adolescents/Texas Christian University School of Medicine: Students at the Burnett School of Medicine at TCU are working with Fort Worth ISD to offer educational sessions to adolescent students in Tarrant County about menstruation and how to use period products safely. This program aims to empower adolescents by destigmatizing the topic of menstruation through and addressing period poverty in Tarrant County through education.
NEW! HOLA (Health Outreach and Literacy Alliance) Amigos Mobile Clinic/Texas Tech University Health Science Center Paul L. Foster School of Medicine: HOLA Amigos Mobile Clinic utilizes an interdisciplinary approach that brings together local physicians, residents, medical students, and pre-medical students of diverse educational backgrounds to help El Paso’s unhoused communities access quality, continued care. This includes social work services, clinical care, and preventative measures.
NEW! Internal Medicine Residency Wellness Program Texas Tech University Health Science Center: This program addresses resident wellness including mental health, physical health, nutrition, and team bonding. The COVID-19 pandemic and its resurgence has exacerbated the burnout and fatigue that many resident physicians experience. This program will host monthly activities for residents alternating between international cooking classes and physical recreation with a new cuisine type or activity every month focused on healthy eating and stress relief through exercise.
Frontera de Salud/University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) – McGovern Medical School: Founded in 2011, Frontera provides free quarterly health screenings, education and resources to underserved populations in Brownsville through a collaboration with the Cameron County Public Health Department.
NEW! Understanding the Experiences and Addressing Misperceptions of Pashto-Speaking Patients/UT Health San Antonio: Pashto speaking Afghan refugees, a newer but substantial population in San Antonio, have a high rate of illiteracy which impacts their access of health care. In 2022, nearly 95 percent of the more than 600 patients seen at the Refugee Free Clinic, the student/faculty collaborative associated with University Hospital and the medical school, were Pashto speakers. Medical students will more about misperceptions and misunderstanding they have about the American healthcare system. Translators will educate the community and improve care.
NEW! Women’s Health Project/UT Health San Antonio: Student-Run Free Clinic currently provides free healthcare to residents at the SAMMinistries Transitional Living and Learning Center. Residents of this center are predominantly families who recently were facing homelessness, often women and their children. The program is a 6-month program of biweekly courses, developed under the guidance and mentorship of physicians, to educate the mothers on various women’s health topics including female anatomy, menstrual health, contraception, sexually-transmitted infections, and mental health. Lessons are developed under the guidance and mentorship of physicians.
NEW! Project Momentum: A Health Initiative for Justice-Involved Youths/UT Southwestern: This student led project partners with Cafe Momentum, a not-for-profit that serves previously incarcerated youths ages 15-18 within the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex to empower each youth to prioritize and maintain their health beyond the duration of the program and combat adverse childhood experiences. The program consists of educational sessions on healthy eating habits, mental health awareness, understanding the impacts of alcohol and substance use, and other objectives based on the Center for Disease Control health education curriculum. The program strives to foster a greater sense of community through one-on-one peer mentoring and a navigation system to help individuals overcome barriers to preventive and mental health care.
Kids to the Rescue/UT Southwestern TMA Medical Student Chapter: Kids to the Rescue is a medical student-run organization founded on the principle that by teaching children the basics of first aid, it will make communities safer. Through partnerships with local elementary schools, the program will host interactive and engaging assemblies for fifth graders covering simple lifesaving techniques. The program aims to fill the gap in first aid training for students while simultaneously encouraging interest in medicine and STEM-related fields.
Seventh Annual HOPE Health Fair/University of Texas Medical Branch: This collaborative event integrates Family Practice physicians, TMA physician members, and students from UTMB's school of medicine, nursing, and occupational therapy to connect vulnerable patients in the greater Galveston area with health/support services at the St. Vincent's student-run clinic. The fair will provide vaccinations, STD/STI testing, breast cancer screenings, as well as general health screenings and connect patients to primary care provider services at the clinic.
NEW! Firearm Safety & Suicide Screening Program/University of Texas Medical Branch TMA Medical Student Chapter: In 2021, there were approximately 134 American deaths by a firearm every day, at least half of which were suicides1. In healthcare settings, individual physicians may choose to inquire about firearm possession and practices, but targeted gun death and injury prevention is not standardized nor mandated. This project aims to address gun deaths related to interpersonal violence, accidental firings, and suicides within Galveston County through a medical student-led initiative at the St. Vincent's student-run clinic. All patients receiving psychiatric care are screened for firearm access with the “5 L’s” questionnaire2. Patients with access to guns have a conversation with a medical student about safe firearm practices, are provided educational pamphlets and gun locks free of charge.
1 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics.
2 Lum HD, Flaten HK, Betz ME. Gun Access and Safety Practices among Older Adults. Curr Gerontol Geriatr Res. 2016;2016:2980416. doi: 10.1155/2016/2980416. Epub 2016 Feb 2. PMID: 26949391; PMCID: PMC4754461.