May 25, 2023
Texas medical students have recognized Fort Worth psychiatrist Ken C. Hopper, MD, with the 2023 C. Frank Webber, MD, Award, for his commitment to mentoring medical students. The Texas Medical Association Medical Student Section (TMA-MSS) presented the award to the physician during TexMed, TMA’s annual conference held in Fort Worth this year.
“This award is one of (if not the most) meaningful recognitions I’ve ever received,” Dr. Hopper said. “I am humbled by the thoughts and efforts of medical students with whom I’ve worked as well as the entire student section of the TMA.”
The students consider Dr. Hopper a mentor, as he has been a physician development coach at the TCU Burnett School of Medicine. Through the medical student chapter, he said he has helped students in their “quest to contribute meaningfully” to the TMA-MSS. He believes coaching, mentoring, and teaching have a multiplier effect that grows over time.
“Medical students will pass down their most meaningful lessons and experiences to both patients and new generations of physicians,” Dr. Hopper said.
Student Kavneet Kaur of the Burnett School of Medicine at TCU nominated Dr. Hopper for the award. She said Dr. Hopper is always available to help students and offers them support and guidance.
“His dedication to improving patient care, providing compassionate care, and being a physician leader within organizational medicine are some of the many qualities that make him the perfect candidate for the award,” Ms. Kaur said.
Dr. Hopper has been a TMA member for more than 34 years, and serves on the Council on Socioeconomics. He also is a member of the Tarrant County Medical Society. (While he continues his clinical team-based practice in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, Dr. Hopper recently became assistant dean of Health Systems Science Education at the Alice L. Walton School of Medicine in Bentonville, Ark.)
Created in 1987, the C. Frank Webber, MD, Award is named after the late Dr. Webber, a Texas family physician and educator who was dean of The University of Texas Medical School at Houston (now the McGovern Medical School at UTHealth). 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 57,000 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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TMA Contacts: Brent Annear (512) 370-1381; cell: (512) 656-7320; email: brent.annear@texmed.org
Swathi Narayanan (512) 370-1382; cell: (408) 987-1318; email: swathi.narayanan@texmed.org
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