Stories written by Tammy Wishard

Health Literacy, Cultural Connections Drive These Students’ Passion for Medicine - 05/16/2022

Personal and cultural experiences – such as watching a family member endure chemotherapy – can fuel a passion to pursue a career in medicine. Three female medical students described the “why” of their career path, helping them earn the American Muslim Women Physicians Association Merit Award.

TMA Is Here For Medical Students Who Need Financial Help - 04/05/2022

It’s a common dose of reality for many aspiring physicians: “I got accepted to medical school! Now how will I pay for it?”

TMA Awards Hundreds of Thousands in Scholarships for 46 Medical Students’ Futures - 04/05/2022

For Ndanzia “Paul” Mpunga​, a first-year student at UT Health San Antonio Long School of Medicine, winning a Texas Medical Association Minority Scholarship not only lightens his financial burden. It also inspires him to give back.

Prevent Physician Suicide With These TMA Tools - 04/05/2022

When suicide hits close to home in the physician community, its impact can be devastating. The Texas Medical Association offers resources aimed at prevention, and today’s National Physician Suicide Awareness Day promotes dialogue about this important topic.

TMA Insurance Trust Gift Helps Struggling Physicians - 04/05/2022

Physicians who’ve fallen on tough times won’t lack for help thanks to a $15,000 gift the Texas Medical Association Insurance Trust (TMAIT) has made to support physicians who seek assistance through TMA’s Physicians Benevolent Fund (PBF). TMAIT’s gift is the second of three annual contributions it will make to PBF through 2023.

TMA Physicians Benevolent Fund Helps Sustain Medical Families in Need - 03/29/2022

Healer. Comforter. Hard-working. Resilient. Skilled. Empathetic. As we honor our physicians on Doctor’s Day for all the invaluable roles and noble qualities you offer your patients and communities, remember the Texas Medical Association is here if you encounter times when you need help, hope, and healing through The Physicians Benevolent Fund.

TMA Scholarship Helps Medical Students Put Patient Care Goals First - 03/25/2022

Thanks to the Texas Medical Association’s 50-Year Club Scholarship Fund, three medical students are receiving a $1,000 scholarship in recognition of their outstanding academic performance.

Moving After Your Match? TMA’s Low-Interest Loans Can Help - 03/21/2022

If you found out your residency destination during last week’s Match Day, but now find yourself scrambling to gather the funds to get there, the Texas Medical Association is here to help you finance the next leg of your medical education.

Apply Now: Scholarships for Students Who Want to Serve the Underserved - 03/14/2022

Once Texas medical students become physicians, the Lone Star Caucus hopes to keep them in Texas. That’s the aim of the Lone Star Caucus Medical Student Scholarship.

Apply: Female Medical Student Scholarships - 03/07/2022

Female medical students with an eye on serving their communities can now apply for the American Muslim Women Physicians Association (AMWPA) Merit Award, just like Sejal Lahoti did.

How the Physicians Benevolent Fund Saved These Doctors’ Families - 02/28/2022

After he became disabled in an automobile accident, a Texas physician and his wife quickly ran through the funds awarded in a legal settlement for his ongoing medical bills.

Nominate Outstanding Journalists for TMA’s Anson Jones Awards - 12/14/2021

Each year, members of the Texas Medical Association’s Council on Health Promotion and former journalists have the tough job of selecting the best of the best in health reporting. Their picks earn TMA’s annual Anson Jones, MD, Awards.

Support Physicians in Need With Donation to the Physicians Benevolent Fund - 12/09/2021

As the Physicians Benevolent Fund (PBF) marks 60 years of extending help and hope to Texas physicians, you can help the family of medicine sustain this Texas Medical Association legacy during the giving season.

When Physicians Need Treatment, TMA’s PBF Wellness Fund Can Help - 12/09/2021

If COVID-19 or other conditions are affecting your well-being, the Texas Medical Association is here to help you seek assistance.

Physician Wellness Think Tank Calls for More Workforce Support - 11/30/2021

The harm the “resilience” narrative causes to physicians, soul-centered medicine, and a reexploration of a physician’s career calling all received a close look at the Texas Medical Association’s second Physician Health and Wellness (PHW) Exchange in late October.

Get Free Bike Helmets in Time for Holiday Giving in Your County - 11/15/2021

With the season of giving approaching, the Texas Medical Association’s Hard Hats for Little Heads bike helmet giveaway program is offering free helmets until Dec. 31 for you to give to kids in your community. Pairing helmets with bikes given through local toy distributions is an easy way to take advantage of this special offer.

Pair TMA Bike Helmets With Local Holiday Gift Giveaways - 11/08/2021

When kids receive a set of wheels – a bike, that is – from a local holiday gift giveaway, the Texas Medical Association’s Hard Hats for Little Heads is here to help you provide the helmet. As the season of giving approaches, pairing helmets with bikes given through local toy distributions is an easy way to spread joy and safety to local children.  

Nominate Outstanding Science Teachers for TMA Awards - 11/08/2021

Do you know a science teacher who brings the subject to life, perhaps inspiring students to pursue a related career, even in medicine? If so, nominate him or her for the Texas Medical Association’s Ernest and Sarah Butler Awards for Excellence in Science Teaching.

TMA Minority Scholarships Support Diversity Among Medical Students - 10/18/2021

Do you know someone who has received early 2022 medical school acceptance? If the physician-to-be is a member of certain minority groups, the Texas Medical Association’s Minority Scholarship Program can help lessen the financial burden of attending medical school.

TMA Offers Low-Interest Loans for Students, Resident Physicians - 10/08/2021

If life throws a financial curveball during medical training, it can be overwhelming. The Texas Medical Association’s low-interest loans for medical students and residents can help.

Share Ideas to Improve Health, Wellness of Medical Workforce - 09/29/2021

TMA's Committee on Physician Health and Wellness wants to know your ideas on how your institution can better support your wellness. The committee invites you to submit your contributions to improve the health of the medical workforce by Monday, Oct. 11 for the upcoming PHW Poster Session.

TMA Minority Scholarships Help Address Diversity in Medicine, Health Disparities - 09/21/2021

Shared racial identity between physician and patient is one means of tackling health disparities. TMA’s Minority Scholarship Program (tmaloanfunds.com) helps ensure more Black, Hispanic/Latino, and Native American physicians can practice in neighborhoods where many residents share their racial identity.

Physicians Benevolent Fund Supports Physicians in Need - 09/20/2021

The Physicians Benevolent Fund helps support physicians and their immediate families who fall on desperate financial times or who are in treatment, perhaps as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic or because of other circumstances. TMA family members can support PBF in two ways.

TMA Fund Offers Assistance for Substance Abuse Treatment - 09/20/2021

If you or a colleague is struggling with alcohol or any other substance abuse disorder and needs treatment, TMA's Physicians Benevolent Wellness Fund is here to provide financial assistance for qualified physicians and their immediate families.

Help a Physician in Need With a Referral to The Physicians Benevolent Fund - 09/20/2021

It’s often said that talk is cheap. In the case of The Physicians Benevolent Fund (PBF), the payoff for a little talk could be huge for a colleague or friend in need. By sharing information about PBF or by referring someone to the Texas Medical Association, you could give a friend or colleague a much-needed hand up.