TMA Minority Scholarships Support Diversity Among Medical Students
By Tammy Wishard

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. 

Students who are Black, Hispanic/Latino, or Native American are eligible for the $10,000 scholarships given to one student at each of Texas’ 15 medical schools. TMA created the Minority Scholarship Program in 1998 to help diversify the physician workforce and better meet Texans’ health care needs.

Gaspar Pina, the 2021 scholarship recipient at McGovern Medical School at UTHealth, says he first became interested in becoming a physician while growing up in Presidio, a rural town along the Texas-Mexico border. From an early age, Mr. Pina said he was aware of the limited health resources in his hometown and the effect that had on the town’s residents.  

“The love and values my community and family taught me led me to decide I wanted to give back and serve my community and state as a physician,” said Mr. Pina, who is pursuing a dual MD/MPH degree.  

Students who will enter medical school in 2022 can apply for the scholarships until March 21, 2022. In addition to the application, students must submit an essay and provide a letter of acceptance with the intent to attend.

TMA will announce the winners at TexMed 2022. For more information, email TMA.

The TMA Foundation (TMAF) funds the program with gifts from the TMAF Bayardo Minority Scholarship Fund and the TMAF Patrick Y. Leung, MD, Minority Scholarship Endowment, along with TMAF donor physicians and their families, TMA county medical societies, and corporate gifts.

 

Last Updated On

October 18, 2021

Originally Published On

October 18, 2021

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Tammy Wishard

Account Manager, Division of Communications and Marketing

(512) 370-1470
Tammy Wishard

Tammy Wishard is an account manager in TMA’s Marketing Department. She works with TMA’s Office of Trust Fund Administration and other departments to help communicate the broad range of services and resources TMA offers its members. She has a 25-plus-year history with TMA, where she started as a writer/editor. Tammy, a proud Iowa native, is a graduate of Abilene Christian University.

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