UTMB Named TMA Med Student Chapter of Year

May 18, 2018

Programs to help the community, near 100-percent recruitment, and outstanding advocacy participation all made the medical student chapter at The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston stand out this past year. That is why medical student leaders statewide named it the Texas Medical Association Medical Student Section (TMA-MSS) chapter of the year. Physicians presented the award today during TexMed, TMA’s annual conference, in San Antonio.

The annual Chapter of the Year Award, which TMA began in 1998, recognizes the TMA-MSS chapter that excels in furthering the Medical Student Section’s goals and policies for a better Texas. The award recognizes leadership, dedication, and service to TMA and the American Medical Association.

The UTMB chapter had a nearly perfect record (98 percent) of recruiting first-year students to become TMA members. UTMB also bused more than 100 students to First Tuesdays at the Capitol in 2017 to meet with state legislators to discuss how proposed legislation will affect patient care in Texas.

“The UTMB TMA chapter has grown significantly by promoting interest in the chapter and by getting involved in the community,” said Faith Mason, immediate past president of the group. “Chapter leaders were engaged, and many members took on projects to make our chapter flourish.”

The student group hosted two community projects, said Ms. Mason. The chapter provided flu shots to Galveston residents in conjunction with the UTMB Family Medicine Interest Group and St. Vincent’s Student Clinic. And students gave bicycle helmets to local children, with support from the John P. McGovern Academy of Oslerian Medicine.

The chapter also submitted three successful resolutions for consideration by TMA’s House of Delegates, the organization’s policymaking body. The 500 delegates either adopted the proposal to become new TMA policy, or used the students’ ideas to foster changes in existing policy.

The TMA-MSS Executive Council, composed of medical student leaders, nominates chapters for the award.

TMA is the largest state medical society in the nation, representing more than 51,000 physician and medical student members. It is located in Austin and has 110 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:  Brent Annear (512) 370-1381; cell: (512) 656-7320; email: brent.annear[at]texmed[dot]org

Marcus Cooper (512) 370-1382; cell: (512) 650-5336; email: marcus.cooper[at]texmed[dot]org

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Last Updated On

May 17, 2018

Originally Published On

May 17, 2018