TMA Leadership College Class of 2020

309106 TMALC Graduate Web Graphic

Congratulations to the TMA Leadership College Class of 2020! This exceptional group of young physicians committed to improving their leadership skills over the past year in order to better serve their communities, organizations, and profession. In addition to participating in live lectures, sessions, and activities, each scholar was required to complete an independent project that built upon the leadership concepts and skills discussed. Click on a scholar's name or scroll down to learn more about them and their experiences in the TMA Leadership College.

Philip Balfanz, MD	Michael MacKelvie, DO	Chandana Thatikonda, MD
Lisa Caplan, MD	Samuel Mathis, MD	Jenny Thomas Jacob, MD
Marawan El Tayeb, MD	Erin Moody, MD	Nora Vasquez, MD
Semhar Ghebremichael, MD	Marcial Oquendo, MD	Veronica Vasquez, MD
Shiva Gupta, MD	Ravi Pingali, MD	Vani Venkatachalam, MD
Joseph Hendrix, MD	Melodi Reese-Holley, MD	Karen Welch, MD
Stephen Herrmann, MD	Katherine Rinard, MD	Andrew Widmer, MD
Dakeya Jordan, DO	Mary Ann Rodriguez, MD	Sara Woodward Dyrstad, MD
Carla Laos, MD	Irvin Sulapas, MD
Jesslyn Lu, MD	Beth Teegarden, MD

		Philip Balfanz, MD, MBA \| Psychiatry \| Kerrville Kerr-Bandera County Medical Society Texas Society of Psychiatric Physicians "I presented a continuing education project on Cannabis and the Adolescent Brain for counselors and this also led to requests to present at other places. A subsequent presentation was cancelled due to the pandemic, but I learned that once you put yourself out there as a physician expert, more opportunities arise. I also spoke on a different topic related to the pandemic on a local radio station. I had tried to engage local government and wrote a letter and delivered it to several magistrates and the county judge to work on clarifying policy for mental health care and then attempted to meet, but learned it takes persistence and so recognize I have some ongoing projects in the future." "I think the most valuable takeaway from the Leadership College was recognizing that there are concrete ways to clarify vision, and that can be powerful in moving change forward, even through tumultuous times."
		Lisa Caplan, MD \| Pediatric Cardiac Anesthesiology \| Bellaire Harris County Medical Society Texas Society of Anesthesiologists "For my TMALC project, I assisted in reviewing CME for the Texas Medical Board. This was a valuable academic project as I was able to review evidence-based recommendations for immunizations and the disciplinary process for the TMB. Prior to this academic activity, I was not aware of the different avenues the TMB may take to address concerns by peers and the lay public. I was also not aware that the TMB can assist in physician rehabilitation after substance abuse." "I am thankful for my time with TMALC. I think one of the most valuable aspects of the leadership college was the 360 review I received in the beginning. I truly believe that by identifying areas to improve, it will only help me grow as a clinician and leader. This type of feedback is not common so I was grateful to have received it."
		Marawan El Tayeb, MD, PhD \| Urology \| Temple Bell County Medical Society "My project was to write three articles for the Me & My Doctor blog. I wrote the first one and it was a perfect experience, plus I learned a few tips on how to write an article for the general population. However, a week after I submitted my second article, the COVID-19 pandemic was surging in the USA, and all non-COVID articles were postponed." "My most valuable takeaway from the Leadership College was the media training session and how to make a successful interview, especially the constructive assessment and criticism."
		Semhar Ghebremichael, MD \| Anesthesiology \| Bellaire Harris County Medical Society Texas Society of Anesthesiologists "My project for the TMA Leadership College involved reviewing a CME publication and understanding how an article transitions to becoming available for CME credit. For me, the lessons learned don’t necessarily have to do with the project itself, but rather reaffirming that being flexible and open are paramount to success. Initially my project was to involve speaking to my children’s classes about being a physician (and specifically an anesthesiologist), but when the Coronavirus pandemic hit the United States my plans had to change. In the end, I had to choose and complete a new project and was able to learn something new in the process." "The most valuable takeaway from my time in the TMALC is there are a lot of components to becoming a leader. All parts contribute and shape equally. The TMALC did an excellent job of exposing us to many of the different components which will allow us to become advocates within our profession."
		Shiva Gupta, MD \| Diagnostic Radiology \| Bellaire Harris County Medical Society Texas Radiological Society "As part of the Class of 2020 TMA Leadership College experience, I served as a CME reviewer/editor for TMA practice management publications. As an academic radiologist, I write peer-reviewed manuscripts and serve as a reviewer for radiologic journals. Being a CME reviewer/editor for TMA practice management publications, however, provided me the unique opportunity to serve outside of my everyday niche and contribute to the education of both radiological and non-radiological colleagues in the State of Texas." "The TMALC provides a unique platform and empathetic environment for discussing challenges we face as individuals, physicians and leaders. I am grateful that TMALC brought together such a talented and eclectic group of physicians from different parts of Texas and medical specialties for the betterment of ourselves and the practice of medicine. It is clear that the Texas Medical Association has a stronghold of what elements are needed to be opportunistic and successful leaders. I look forward to participating in future programs that the Texas Medical Association will provide to TMALC alumni."
		Joseph "Max" Hendrix, MD \| Anesthesiology \| Irving Dallas County Medical Society "My TMALC project involved reviewing and evaluating two CME publications for the TMA. The first involved vaccine preventable diseases and guidance on promoting vaccines within the community. The second involved the TMB complaint process and guidance on dealing with the TMB complaint process. This project provided a great insight into the support and guidance the TMA provides for Texas physicians on a consistent basis." "The TMA Leadership College has provided me with a significant number of tools and strategies to utilize in my own practice and specialty in order to advocate for, lead and promote Texas physicians and physician practices. I have come to greatly appreciate the incredible advocacy and promotion of Texas physicians that the TMA undertakes on a regular basis."
		Stephen Herrmann, MD, PhD \| Radiology \| Bellaire Harris County Medical Society Texas Radiological Society "The goal of my project was to improve radiology resident involvement with the TMA by providing informative noon conferences at three Houston-area residency programs. During my noon conference presentations I described my involvement with the Resident/Fellow section during my residency and how getting involved with physician advocacy is important for young physicians early in their career. Additionally I described how to get involved with committees and how leadership opportunities are easily available to residents." "There were many excellent learning opportunities from the Leadership College, but what stood out the most was how wonderful it was to interact with other young physicians who were passionate about physician advocacy. Working together on leadership projects and discussing physician advocacy with my counterparts in different specialties was a highlight of the program."
		Dakeya Jordan, DO \| Family Medicine \| Benbrook Tarrant County Medical Society Texas Academy of Family Physicians "My project was submitting a story for possible inclusion in a TMA anthology. My story was of one of my most memorable patients regarding the necessity and benefits of addressing social barriers to care and their effects on clinical outcomes. My greatest lesson learned is to continue to lean on my support group of providers to remain inspired and keep my focus on the joys of medicine through our shared experiences." "The TMALC enabled me to learn a new set of skills and language of medicine to not just practice medicine, but to adapt to the changes in medicine as they occur through being an intentional and proactive mindful leader regarding issues that affect my community and personal goals as a physician. It has helped to reframe my thought process on my role as a physician, helping me to transform from a managerial leader to a visionary leader. We learned in a collaborative supportive environment, where everyone from different specialties across the state were supported in their growth and development of leadership."
		Carla Laos, MD \| Pediatric Emergency Medicine \| Austin Travis County Medical Society Texas Pediatric Society Dr. Laos presented at her child's school following a multi-day closure because a bat on campus tested positive for rabies. "With the principal's approval, I spoke to the entire school (K-5) at morning assembly regarding bat safety and rabies. Then I met individually with both 3rd grade classes to discuss the same in addition to bullying, and to field questions about rabies and coronavirus." Describing her most valuable takeaway from participation in the Leadership College: "Understanding the need for physicians as leaders and the many avenues where we can be leaders. The community embraces the leadership and knowledge of physicians and we are able to be valuable allies and resources for our other community leaders (in my case, educators)."
		Jesslyn Lu, MD \| Endocrinology \| Austin Travis County Medical Society Dr. Lu originally planned to volunteer for the TMA Foundation gala in May as her Leadership College project, but following its cancellation because of COVID-19, she will be tapping into her background in journalism and developing posts for TMA's Me & My Doctor blog. "Being part of the 2020 TMALC was a tremendous gift! Not only did it give me an opportunity to connect with other like-minded, passionate, young physician leaders but it was also the first time since finishing medical training that I was personally invested in building professional leadership skills. Thank you for this wonderful program - it has made me a better leader and physician."
		Michael MacKelvie, DO \| Obstetrics and Gynecology \| The Woodlands Harris County Medical Society For his project, Dr. MacKelvie is documenting "a day in the life" of a physician during the COVID-19 crisis.
		Samuel Mathis, MD \| Family Medicine, Integrative and Behavioral Medicine \| Galveston Galveston County Medical Society Texas Association of Family Physicians Dr. Mathis originally planned to volunteer for the TMA Foundation gala in May as his Leadership College project, but following its cancellation because of COVID-19, elected to review a CME publication as his final project. "I truly enjoyed learning a bit more about my leadership style and the areas needed for improvement to better lead those who I work with. The course has made me a stronger communicator and better listener to help utilize all the available resources to make myself and my institution better."
		Erin Moody, MD \| Vascular and Interventional Radiology \| Corpus Christi Nueces County Medical Society Texas Radiological Society Dr. Moody assembled a brief presentation to describe her Leadership College project experience. "The networking opportunities [in TMALC] were invaluable. Getting to meet like-minded physicians from the across the state and in different specialties was truly motivational. Several of the lectures also had useful leadership tips and strategies, which I plan to use in the future."
		Marcial Oquendo, MD \| Pediatrics \| Dallas Dallas County Medical Society Texas Pediatric Society "My project for TMALC was to develop and improve my ability to craft and deliver my message and become a more effective speaker and leader. For this project, I decided to create a video about an important benefit for organizations that employ physicians to encourage them to provide/support TMA membership to all of their doctors. The obstacles are to overcome the point of view as an employed physician and see it as an employer, trying to identify common ground to change minds." "My most valuable takeaway from TMALC is the sense of community that is fostered by TMA. There are many outstanding leaders in the medical community that many times go unnoticed or unappreciated; to be a good leader requires a lot of effort and even training. I enjoyed getting to know some of my colleagues and their leadership journeys as we shared lessons learned and boosted each other up in the process."
		Ravi Pingali, MD \| Hematology-Oncology \| Sugar Land Harris County Medical Society "For my project, I had grand plans of inviting a local congressman/senator to my work place, but the COVID-19 pandemic and my procrastination of the project to March ruined my plans. My plan B of volunteering for the TMA Foundation gala, expecting this viral pandemic to end, did not come to fruition as well. But I am glad that when lot of people got impacted with the pandemic, as a medical community we stuck together with each other and served our patients to best of our abilities." "My most valuable lessons from TMALC: No matter where we all came from, we all are here to do what we love the best, to care for our patients. In life happiness, health, family and friends are most important and nothing else matters more. I am happy that I had opportunity to meet and learn from fellow young physician leaders (now friends) from all over Texas."
		Melodi Reese-Holley, MD \| Obstetrics and Gynecology \| Grand Prairie Dallas County Medical Society Texas Association of Obstetrics and Gynecology "For my TMA Leadership College project, I completed a social media showcase by taking over the TMA’s Facebook page for a day on February 25, 2020. I posted a series of pictures throughout the day that highlighted the wide diversity of clinical and surgical responsibilities balanced in a normal day for an obstetrician-gynecologist. My patients, friends and family were surprised to see exactly how much I do and were excited to have an in-depth peek at what I enjoy most in my profession." "The most important thing I learned from the TMA Leadership College is that it is never too late to make an impact. We each have the power to cause a ripple effect, which can have a larger and continual effect, if we're brave enough to generate the initial momentum."
		Katherine Rinard, MD \| Urology \| Abilene Big Country Medical Society "When the operating rooms and clinic shut down [due to the pandemic], it seemed our urology patients would have limited access to care. I immediately began the implementation of telemedicine for our clinic, which has served as my project. I also submitted a commentary to TMA's Blogged Arteries outlining how I implemented it and the lessons learned. Our clinic went from never doing telemedicine to seeing 80% of our patients virtually! It has been a great success we plan to continue, especially for our rural patients and limited mobility patients." "Leadership College has invigorated my desire to continue serving in leadership positions on local and state levels. I now also have a group of like-minded colleagues as a source of support and knowledge!"
		Mary Ann Rodriguez, MD \| Internal Medicine \| Austin Travis County Medical Society "My project was writing an open letter to the City of Austin government officials in order for them to rapidly implement public health strategies to mitigate the COVID-19 epidemic and have this signed by physicians practicing in the City of Austin. I gathered ideas from a Facebook group about COVID-19 created by Austin physicians and over 300 Austin physicians signed. The letter reached the media and the government officials and the three things that were asked for were done." "I think the most valuable takeaway from my time in the Leadership College is the insight I have gained about myself and the leadership I have in me."
		Irvin Sulapas, MD \| Sports Medicine \| Houston Harris County Medical Society Texas Academy of Family Physicians For his project, Dr. Sulapas was interviewed by a local Houston television station on staying healthy and fit while social distancing. Watch the video.
		Beth Teegarden, MD \| Anesthesiology \| League City Galveston County Medical Society "I had the pleasure of being interviewed on behalf of the National Board for Respiratory Care to thank respiratory therapists and to encourage others to consider the profession. The extraordinary times we're living in have seen many rise to the challenge to safely and effectively provide care, and this opportunity allowed the spotlight to shine on the often obscured field of respiratory therapy." View Dr. Teegarden's video. "My experiences and knowledge gained through participation in TMA's Leadership College were invaluable. The diversity of presentations, quality of speakers, and interactions with like-minded colleagues from across the state, practicing in a variety of specialties, will serve me well throughout my career."
		Chandana Thatikonda, MD \| Internal Medicine, Hospitalist \| Cedar Park Williamson County Medical Society For her project, Dr. Thatikonda submitted her experience caring for an elderly patient with suspected COVID-19 to the TMA communications team, which has been collecting physician stories throughout the pandemic. While the patient ultimately tested negative for the disease, Dr. Thatikonda was deeply affected by his kind demeanor and positive attitude despite the required isolation and frightening situation. Regarding her time in the Leadership College, she said, "I liked everything taught through this course. I learnt that leadership is not just about what we are, it's about how we think and feel about ourselves and others, how we foresee potential hurdles, try to problem solve, and engage everyone actively and fruitfully. The skills we learned are needed, not only at work, but anywhere and everywhere. All of the topics were very much pertinent to us. I would definitely recommend this course to my colleagues, and I will keep in mind the features of a leader through out my career and social interactions."
		Jenny Thomas Jacob, MD \| Internal Medicine \| Round Rock Bell County Medical Society Dr. Jacob originally planned to volunteer for the TMA Foundation gala in May as her Leadership College project, but following its cancellation because of COVID-19, elected to review a CME publication as her final project. "My key takeaway from Leadership College is that credibility is the foundation of leadership and I should do what I say I will do. Values matter and I should know what I stand for and what I don't."
		Nora Vasquez, MD \| Internal Medicine \| Boerne Bexar County Medical Society "I had a great time investigating and learning how to write, edit and publish an article for the Bexar County Medical Society's San Antonio Medicine magazine. I learned so much from this experience. I interviewed Mrs. Sylvia Salazar, TMA Associate Vice President, Division of Membership and Leadership Development. She helped me gather data and provided advice on our project. I overcame obstacles and gained great insight by participating in the TMA Employed Physicians Committee in 2019. I gathered data and conducted interviews of my physician colleagues from the TMA Leadership College. I collaborated with other physicians from the BCMS and TMA to edit, finalize and publish this article in the BCMS magazine in December of 2019. Overall, this was a great learning experience." "The most valuable lesson from my time in the TMA Leadership College is gaining the extensive leadership training and building such great relationships with my fellow physician colleagues from across the great state of Texas! Participating in TMA Leadership College helped me define my leadership role and has enhanced my confidence to pursue advocacy at the local, state and national level to improve healthcare!"
		Veronica Vasquez, MD \| Family Medicine \| Boerne Bexar County Medical Society "The article I co-authored for the San Antonio Medicine magazine is entitled "Younger Physicians: Why They Choose an Employed Health Care Setting." It was published in the December 2019 issue. This article focused on highlighting employment trends for physicians and reasons why many newly graduated resident physicians are choosing to pursue employed status rather than private practice. It also brought to light both pros and cons of being an employed physician and spoke on what is needed to ensure all physicians have adequate representation and are able to advocate for themselves in an employed setting. The TMA Leadership College was an amazing experience! I learned so much from all the other participants and was truly inspired by their stories. Each session allowed me to home in on, and build upon my strengths as a leader, as well as discover areas I needed to focus on to become a more effective leader. Lastly, I realized new ways in which I can become a better advocate for my patients and my profession as a whole. I am so grateful for TMA's Leadership College!"
		Vani Venkatachalam, MD \| Pediatrics \| Coppell Dallas County Medical Society "My project was about sharing perspectives with children in all age groups (elementary, middle and high school) on career paths in medicine. I developed the content based on interactions with school counselors, accomplished it by making presentations and actively engaged children through Q&A. The project helped me understand that despite an equal interest in medicine, social inequality can contribute to starkly different levels of awareness and opportunities in career choices for children." "I have always believed in focusing on overall health based on primary and preventive health care. My time at TMALC helped me formulate and articulate this to be – “MY VISION”. I learnt how vision is important for the individual and how it is essential to guide and inspire the health care team that I am part of."
		Karen Welch, MD \| Family Medicine \| Austin Travis County Medical Society "CommUnityCare is the main safety net provider for Travis County and as an entity has had an eye toward telehealth as an option to meet patient needs and solve barriers that impact our patients’ ability to participate in care. Social distancing demands of COVID-19 pushed us rapidly into new telehealth territory. I provided clinical leadership as director of primary care alongside our director of specialty in this transition. CommUnityCare began offering telemedicine options in mid-March in response to the COVID-19 emergency over a period of 5 days. The project involved workflow design, training, coordination with operations, nursing, and scheduling teams, and full care partners including PCPs, specialists, pharmacists, dietitians, and behavioral specialists. We transitioned successfully from virtually no telehealth to approximately 80% telephone visits over the span of a few weeks and have been refining our process of teaming remotely with various team members to preserve our team based model of care. Lessons were learned in regards to communication and coordination within a large organization. We are applying knowledge gained as we move forward with our next steps in telemedicine to shift to video visits. We are now implementing video visits using Doxy.Me and are the second phase of three in rollout. "TMA Leadership College has been a rewarding experience! I found the following components to be of highest value: Leadership Challenge – I appreciated the objective feedback and have been applying knowledge gained, which I think has been of use to those who look to me for guidance. Media training – As much as I am truly averse to interviews, such interactions are helpful means of creating change, and this training has already decreased my unease with interviewing. Connection – As a solo physician at one of our smaller clinic sites, I often feel a bit isolated. It has been incredible to connect with other Texas docs!"
		Andrew "Jimmy" Widmer, MD \| Internal Medicine \| Belton Bell County Medical Society Texas Chapter of the American College of Physicians "My project was a brief presentation on advocacy and a legislative update to our General Internal Medicine Division during a regular monthly meeting – unfortunately due to COVID-19 this meeting and therefore the presentation have not occurred. The biggest challenge was condensing the vast material into a 5-7 minute snapshot. The legislative overview covers both a recap of the 86th Texas Legislature as well as a look ahead at opportunities for Organized Medicine to continue working to improve the health of Texans in the 87th Session. A primary aim was to educate and call my fellow primary care physicians to action." "The leadership self-assessment and the opportunity to gather feedback from mentors and peers was a valuable tool gained during this course. I feel better equipped to enhance and in some cases redevelop my leadership tactics."
		Sara Woodward Dyrstad, MD \| Diagnostic Radiology \| Odessa Ector County Medical Society Texas Radiological Society "For my TMALC project, I helped develop a marketing campaign, 'Doc’s Best Friend,' that will highlight physicians with their pets and show some of the health benefits of including animal companions as part of your family. Given the tragedy of COVID-19, this marketing campaign was postponed and will hopefully occur in the future. For my TMALC project, I instead submitted a story about a memorable patient encounter for possible inclusion in a TMA anthology. The encounter occurred during radiology residency while I was obtaining ultrasound images of an approximately 10-year-old patient that asked many questions about my training. Her final comments to me were unforgettable. The patient matter-of-factly stated, “I guess your job really isn’t that difficult.” Before I could respond, she profoundly continued, “I guess you just have to know what normal looks like.” This encounter provided me with much needed perspective and insight during residency." "I greatly enjoyed my time in TMA Leadership College and meeting so many dedicated health care leaders. I especially loved learning different techniques to improve my leadership skills, and receiving feedback from those with whom I work. I was disappointed to miss the March training session for TMALC, and will hopefully be able to participate next year. We welcomed Alice Melodyrose Dyrstad into our family on 3/11/20 as the hospital was just starting to make protocol changes due to COVID-19."

Last Updated On

September 25, 2020

Originally Published On

March 23, 2020

		Philip Balfanz, MD, MBA \| Psychiatry \| Kerrville Kerr-Bandera County Medical Society Texas Society of Psychiatric Physicians "I presented a continuing education project on Cannabis and the Adolescent Brain for counselors and this also led to requests to present at other places. A subsequent presentation was cancelled due to the pandemic, but I learned that once you put yourself out there as a physician expert, more opportunities arise. I also spoke on a different topic related to the pandemic on a local radio station. I had tried to engage local government and wrote a letter and delivered it to several magistrates and the county judge to work on clarifying policy for mental health care and then attempted to meet, but learned it takes persistence and so recognize I have some ongoing projects in the future." "I think the most valuable takeaway from the Leadership College was recognizing that there are concrete ways to clarify vision, and that can be powerful in moving change forward, even through tumultuous times."
		Lisa Caplan, MD \| Pediatric Cardiac Anesthesiology \| Bellaire Harris County Medical Society Texas Society of Anesthesiologists "For my TMALC project, I assisted in reviewing CME for the Texas Medical Board. This was a valuable academic project as I was able to review evidence-based recommendations for immunizations and the disciplinary process for the TMB. Prior to this academic activity, I was not aware of the different avenues the TMB may take to address concerns by peers and the lay public. I was also not aware that the TMB can assist in physician rehabilitation after substance abuse." "I am thankful for my time with TMALC. I think one of the most valuable aspects of the leadership college was the 360 review I received in the beginning. I truly believe that by identifying areas to improve, it will only help me grow as a clinician and leader. This type of feedback is not common so I was grateful to have received it."
		Marawan El Tayeb, MD, PhD \| Urology \| Temple Bell County Medical Society "My project was to write three articles for the Me & My Doctor blog. I wrote the first one and it was a perfect experience, plus I learned a few tips on how to write an article for the general population. However, a week after I submitted my second article, the COVID-19 pandemic was surging in the USA, and all non-COVID articles were postponed." "My most valuable takeaway from the Leadership College was the media training session and how to make a successful interview, especially the constructive assessment and criticism."
		Semhar Ghebremichael, MD \| Anesthesiology \| Bellaire Harris County Medical Society Texas Society of Anesthesiologists "My project for the TMA Leadership College involved reviewing a CME publication and understanding how an article transitions to becoming available for CME credit. For me, the lessons learned don’t necessarily have to do with the project itself, but rather reaffirming that being flexible and open are paramount to success. Initially my project was to involve speaking to my children’s classes about being a physician (and specifically an anesthesiologist), but when the Coronavirus pandemic hit the United States my plans had to change. In the end, I had to choose and complete a new project and was able to learn something new in the process." "The most valuable takeaway from my time in the TMALC is there are a lot of components to becoming a leader. All parts contribute and shape equally. The TMALC did an excellent job of exposing us to many of the different components which will allow us to become advocates within our profession."
		Shiva Gupta, MD \| Diagnostic Radiology \| Bellaire Harris County Medical Society Texas Radiological Society "As part of the Class of 2020 TMA Leadership College experience, I served as a CME reviewer/editor for TMA practice management publications. As an academic radiologist, I write peer-reviewed manuscripts and serve as a reviewer for radiologic journals. Being a CME reviewer/editor for TMA practice management publications, however, provided me the unique opportunity to serve outside of my everyday niche and contribute to the education of both radiological and non-radiological colleagues in the State of Texas." "The TMALC provides a unique platform and empathetic environment for discussing challenges we face as individuals, physicians and leaders. I am grateful that TMALC brought together such a talented and eclectic group of physicians from different parts of Texas and medical specialties for the betterment of ourselves and the practice of medicine. It is clear that the Texas Medical Association has a stronghold of what elements are needed to be opportunistic and successful leaders. I look forward to participating in future programs that the Texas Medical Association will provide to TMALC alumni."
		Joseph "Max" Hendrix, MD \| Anesthesiology \| Irving Dallas County Medical Society "My TMALC project involved reviewing and evaluating two CME publications for the TMA. The first involved vaccine preventable diseases and guidance on promoting vaccines within the community. The second involved the TMB complaint process and guidance on dealing with the TMB complaint process. This project provided a great insight into the support and guidance the TMA provides for Texas physicians on a consistent basis." "The TMA Leadership College has provided me with a significant number of tools and strategies to utilize in my own practice and specialty in order to advocate for, lead and promote Texas physicians and physician practices. I have come to greatly appreciate the incredible advocacy and promotion of Texas physicians that the TMA undertakes on a regular basis."
		Stephen Herrmann, MD, PhD \| Radiology \| Bellaire Harris County Medical Society Texas Radiological Society "The goal of my project was to improve radiology resident involvement with the TMA by providing informative noon conferences at three Houston-area residency programs. During my noon conference presentations I described my involvement with the Resident/Fellow section during my residency and how getting involved with physician advocacy is important for young physicians early in their career. Additionally I described how to get involved with committees and how leadership opportunities are easily available to residents." "There were many excellent learning opportunities from the Leadership College, but what stood out the most was how wonderful it was to interact with other young physicians who were passionate about physician advocacy. Working together on leadership projects and discussing physician advocacy with my counterparts in different specialties was a highlight of the program."
		Dakeya Jordan, DO \| Family Medicine \| Benbrook Tarrant County Medical Society Texas Academy of Family Physicians "My project was submitting a story for possible inclusion in a TMA anthology. My story was of one of my most memorable patients regarding the necessity and benefits of addressing social barriers to care and their effects on clinical outcomes. My greatest lesson learned is to continue to lean on my support group of providers to remain inspired and keep my focus on the joys of medicine through our shared experiences." "The TMALC enabled me to learn a new set of skills and language of medicine to not just practice medicine, but to adapt to the changes in medicine as they occur through being an intentional and proactive mindful leader regarding issues that affect my community and personal goals as a physician. It has helped to reframe my thought process on my role as a physician, helping me to transform from a managerial leader to a visionary leader. We learned in a collaborative supportive environment, where everyone from different specialties across the state were supported in their growth and development of leadership."
		Carla Laos, MD \| Pediatric Emergency Medicine \| Austin Travis County Medical Society Texas Pediatric Society Dr. Laos presented at her child's school following a multi-day closure because a bat on campus tested positive for rabies. "With the principal's approval, I spoke to the entire school (K-5) at morning assembly regarding bat safety and rabies. Then I met individually with both 3rd grade classes to discuss the same in addition to bullying, and to field questions about rabies and coronavirus." Describing her most valuable takeaway from participation in the Leadership College: "Understanding the need for physicians as leaders and the many avenues where we can be leaders. The community embraces the leadership and knowledge of physicians and we are able to be valuable allies and resources for our other community leaders (in my case, educators)."
		Jesslyn Lu, MD \| Endocrinology \| Austin Travis County Medical Society Dr. Lu originally planned to volunteer for the TMA Foundation gala in May as her Leadership College project, but following its cancellation because of COVID-19, she will be tapping into her background in journalism and developing posts for TMA's Me & My Doctor blog. "Being part of the 2020 TMALC was a tremendous gift! Not only did it give me an opportunity to connect with other like-minded, passionate, young physician leaders but it was also the first time since finishing medical training that I was personally invested in building professional leadership skills. Thank you for this wonderful program - it has made me a better leader and physician."
		Michael MacKelvie, DO \| Obstetrics and Gynecology \| The Woodlands Harris County Medical Society For his project, Dr. MacKelvie is documenting "a day in the life" of a physician during the COVID-19 crisis.
		Samuel Mathis, MD \| Family Medicine, Integrative and Behavioral Medicine \| Galveston Galveston County Medical Society Texas Association of Family Physicians Dr. Mathis originally planned to volunteer for the TMA Foundation gala in May as his Leadership College project, but following its cancellation because of COVID-19, elected to review a CME publication as his final project. "I truly enjoyed learning a bit more about my leadership style and the areas needed for improvement to better lead those who I work with. The course has made me a stronger communicator and better listener to help utilize all the available resources to make myself and my institution better."
		Erin Moody, MD \| Vascular and Interventional Radiology \| Corpus Christi Nueces County Medical Society Texas Radiological Society Dr. Moody assembled a brief presentation to describe her Leadership College project experience. "The networking opportunities [in TMALC] were invaluable. Getting to meet like-minded physicians from the across the state and in different specialties was truly motivational. Several of the lectures also had useful leadership tips and strategies, which I plan to use in the future."
		Marcial Oquendo, MD \| Pediatrics \| Dallas Dallas County Medical Society Texas Pediatric Society "My project for TMALC was to develop and improve my ability to craft and deliver my message and become a more effective speaker and leader. For this project, I decided to create a video about an important benefit for organizations that employ physicians to encourage them to provide/support TMA membership to all of their doctors. The obstacles are to overcome the point of view as an employed physician and see it as an employer, trying to identify common ground to change minds." "My most valuable takeaway from TMALC is the sense of community that is fostered by TMA. There are many outstanding leaders in the medical community that many times go unnoticed or unappreciated; to be a good leader requires a lot of effort and even training. I enjoyed getting to know some of my colleagues and their leadership journeys as we shared lessons learned and boosted each other up in the process."
		Ravi Pingali, MD \| Hematology-Oncology \| Sugar Land Harris County Medical Society "For my project, I had grand plans of inviting a local congressman/senator to my work place, but the COVID-19 pandemic and my procrastination of the project to March ruined my plans. My plan B of volunteering for the TMA Foundation gala, expecting this viral pandemic to end, did not come to fruition as well. But I am glad that when lot of people got impacted with the pandemic, as a medical community we stuck together with each other and served our patients to best of our abilities." "My most valuable lessons from TMALC: No matter where we all came from, we all are here to do what we love the best, to care for our patients. In life happiness, health, family and friends are most important and nothing else matters more. I am happy that I had opportunity to meet and learn from fellow young physician leaders (now friends) from all over Texas."
		Melodi Reese-Holley, MD \| Obstetrics and Gynecology \| Grand Prairie Dallas County Medical Society Texas Association of Obstetrics and Gynecology "For my TMA Leadership College project, I completed a social media showcase by taking over the TMA’s Facebook page for a day on February 25, 2020. I posted a series of pictures throughout the day that highlighted the wide diversity of clinical and surgical responsibilities balanced in a normal day for an obstetrician-gynecologist. My patients, friends and family were surprised to see exactly how much I do and were excited to have an in-depth peek at what I enjoy most in my profession." "The most important thing I learned from the TMA Leadership College is that it is never too late to make an impact. We each have the power to cause a ripple effect, which can have a larger and continual effect, if we're brave enough to generate the initial momentum."
		Katherine Rinard, MD \| Urology \| Abilene Big Country Medical Society "When the operating rooms and clinic shut down [due to the pandemic], it seemed our urology patients would have limited access to care. I immediately began the implementation of telemedicine for our clinic, which has served as my project. I also submitted a commentary to TMA's Blogged Arteries outlining how I implemented it and the lessons learned. Our clinic went from never doing telemedicine to seeing 80% of our patients virtually! It has been a great success we plan to continue, especially for our rural patients and limited mobility patients." "Leadership College has invigorated my desire to continue serving in leadership positions on local and state levels. I now also have a group of like-minded colleagues as a source of support and knowledge!"
		Mary Ann Rodriguez, MD \| Internal Medicine \| Austin Travis County Medical Society "My project was writing an open letter to the City of Austin government officials in order for them to rapidly implement public health strategies to mitigate the COVID-19 epidemic and have this signed by physicians practicing in the City of Austin. I gathered ideas from a Facebook group about COVID-19 created by Austin physicians and over 300 Austin physicians signed. The letter reached the media and the government officials and the three things that were asked for were done." "I think the most valuable takeaway from my time in the Leadership College is the insight I have gained about myself and the leadership I have in me."
		Irvin Sulapas, MD \| Sports Medicine \| Houston Harris County Medical Society Texas Academy of Family Physicians For his project, Dr. Sulapas was interviewed by a local Houston television station on staying healthy and fit while social distancing. Watch the video.
		Beth Teegarden, MD \| Anesthesiology \| League City Galveston County Medical Society "I had the pleasure of being interviewed on behalf of the National Board for Respiratory Care to thank respiratory therapists and to encourage others to consider the profession. The extraordinary times we're living in have seen many rise to the challenge to safely and effectively provide care, and this opportunity allowed the spotlight to shine on the often obscured field of respiratory therapy." View Dr. Teegarden's video. "My experiences and knowledge gained through participation in TMA's Leadership College were invaluable. The diversity of presentations, quality of speakers, and interactions with like-minded colleagues from across the state, practicing in a variety of specialties, will serve me well throughout my career."
		Chandana Thatikonda, MD \| Internal Medicine, Hospitalist \| Cedar Park Williamson County Medical Society For her project, Dr. Thatikonda submitted her experience caring for an elderly patient with suspected COVID-19 to the TMA communications team, which has been collecting physician stories throughout the pandemic. While the patient ultimately tested negative for the disease, Dr. Thatikonda was deeply affected by his kind demeanor and positive attitude despite the required isolation and frightening situation. Regarding her time in the Leadership College, she said, "I liked everything taught through this course. I learnt that leadership is not just about what we are, it's about how we think and feel about ourselves and others, how we foresee potential hurdles, try to problem solve, and engage everyone actively and fruitfully. The skills we learned are needed, not only at work, but anywhere and everywhere. All of the topics were very much pertinent to us. I would definitely recommend this course to my colleagues, and I will keep in mind the features of a leader through out my career and social interactions."
		Jenny Thomas Jacob, MD \| Internal Medicine \| Round Rock Bell County Medical Society Dr. Jacob originally planned to volunteer for the TMA Foundation gala in May as her Leadership College project, but following its cancellation because of COVID-19, elected to review a CME publication as her final project. "My key takeaway from Leadership College is that credibility is the foundation of leadership and I should do what I say I will do. Values matter and I should know what I stand for and what I don't."
		Nora Vasquez, MD \| Internal Medicine \| Boerne Bexar County Medical Society "I had a great time investigating and learning how to write, edit and publish an article for the Bexar County Medical Society's San Antonio Medicine magazine. I learned so much from this experience. I interviewed Mrs. Sylvia Salazar, TMA Associate Vice President, Division of Membership and Leadership Development. She helped me gather data and provided advice on our project. I overcame obstacles and gained great insight by participating in the TMA Employed Physicians Committee in 2019. I gathered data and conducted interviews of my physician colleagues from the TMA Leadership College. I collaborated with other physicians from the BCMS and TMA to edit, finalize and publish this article in the BCMS magazine in December of 2019. Overall, this was a great learning experience." "The most valuable lesson from my time in the TMA Leadership College is gaining the extensive leadership training and building such great relationships with my fellow physician colleagues from across the great state of Texas! Participating in TMA Leadership College helped me define my leadership role and has enhanced my confidence to pursue advocacy at the local, state and national level to improve healthcare!"
		Veronica Vasquez, MD \| Family Medicine \| Boerne Bexar County Medical Society "The article I co-authored for the San Antonio Medicine magazine is entitled "Younger Physicians: Why They Choose an Employed Health Care Setting." It was published in the December 2019 issue. This article focused on highlighting employment trends for physicians and reasons why many newly graduated resident physicians are choosing to pursue employed status rather than private practice. It also brought to light both pros and cons of being an employed physician and spoke on what is needed to ensure all physicians have adequate representation and are able to advocate for themselves in an employed setting. The TMA Leadership College was an amazing experience! I learned so much from all the other participants and was truly inspired by their stories. Each session allowed me to home in on, and build upon my strengths as a leader, as well as discover areas I needed to focus on to become a more effective leader. Lastly, I realized new ways in which I can become a better advocate for my patients and my profession as a whole. I am so grateful for TMA's Leadership College!"
		Vani Venkatachalam, MD \| Pediatrics \| Coppell Dallas County Medical Society "My project was about sharing perspectives with children in all age groups (elementary, middle and high school) on career paths in medicine. I developed the content based on interactions with school counselors, accomplished it by making presentations and actively engaged children through Q&A. The project helped me understand that despite an equal interest in medicine, social inequality can contribute to starkly different levels of awareness and opportunities in career choices for children." "I have always believed in focusing on overall health based on primary and preventive health care. My time at TMALC helped me formulate and articulate this to be – “MY VISION”. I learnt how vision is important for the individual and how it is essential to guide and inspire the health care team that I am part of."
		Karen Welch, MD \| Family Medicine \| Austin Travis County Medical Society "CommUnityCare is the main safety net provider for Travis County and as an entity has had an eye toward telehealth as an option to meet patient needs and solve barriers that impact our patients’ ability to participate in care. Social distancing demands of COVID-19 pushed us rapidly into new telehealth territory. I provided clinical leadership as director of primary care alongside our director of specialty in this transition. CommUnityCare began offering telemedicine options in mid-March in response to the COVID-19 emergency over a period of 5 days. The project involved workflow design, training, coordination with operations, nursing, and scheduling teams, and full care partners including PCPs, specialists, pharmacists, dietitians, and behavioral specialists. We transitioned successfully from virtually no telehealth to approximately 80% telephone visits over the span of a few weeks and have been refining our process of teaming remotely with various team members to preserve our team based model of care. Lessons were learned in regards to communication and coordination within a large organization. We are applying knowledge gained as we move forward with our next steps in telemedicine to shift to video visits. We are now implementing video visits using Doxy.Me and are the second phase of three in rollout. "TMA Leadership College has been a rewarding experience! I found the following components to be of highest value: Leadership Challenge – I appreciated the objective feedback and have been applying knowledge gained, which I think has been of use to those who look to me for guidance. Media training – As much as I am truly averse to interviews, such interactions are helpful means of creating change, and this training has already decreased my unease with interviewing. Connection – As a solo physician at one of our smaller clinic sites, I often feel a bit isolated. It has been incredible to connect with other Texas docs!"
		Andrew "Jimmy" Widmer, MD \| Internal Medicine \| Belton Bell County Medical Society Texas Chapter of the American College of Physicians "My project was a brief presentation on advocacy and a legislative update to our General Internal Medicine Division during a regular monthly meeting – unfortunately due to COVID-19 this meeting and therefore the presentation have not occurred. The biggest challenge was condensing the vast material into a 5-7 minute snapshot. The legislative overview covers both a recap of the 86th Texas Legislature as well as a look ahead at opportunities for Organized Medicine to continue working to improve the health of Texans in the 87th Session. A primary aim was to educate and call my fellow primary care physicians to action." "The leadership self-assessment and the opportunity to gather feedback from mentors and peers was a valuable tool gained during this course. I feel better equipped to enhance and in some cases redevelop my leadership tactics."
		Sara Woodward Dyrstad, MD \| Diagnostic Radiology \| Odessa Ector County Medical Society Texas Radiological Society "For my TMALC project, I helped develop a marketing campaign, 'Doc’s Best Friend,' that will highlight physicians with their pets and show some of the health benefits of including animal companions as part of your family. Given the tragedy of COVID-19, this marketing campaign was postponed and will hopefully occur in the future. For my TMALC project, I instead submitted a story about a memorable patient encounter for possible inclusion in a TMA anthology. The encounter occurred during radiology residency while I was obtaining ultrasound images of an approximately 10-year-old patient that asked many questions about my training. Her final comments to me were unforgettable. The patient matter-of-factly stated, “I guess your job really isn’t that difficult.” Before I could respond, she profoundly continued, “I guess you just have to know what normal looks like.” This encounter provided me with much needed perspective and insight during residency." "I greatly enjoyed my time in TMA Leadership College and meeting so many dedicated health care leaders. I especially loved learning different techniques to improve my leadership skills, and receiving feedback from those with whom I work. I was disappointed to miss the March training session for TMALC, and will hopefully be able to participate next year. We welcomed Alice Melodyrose Dyrstad into our family on 3/11/20 as the hospital was just starting to make protocol changes due to COVID-19."

TMA Leadership College Class of 2020

Last Updated On

Originally Published On

TMA Membership

Texas Medicine