Stories written by Tammy Wishard

New Poster Encourages Flu Vaccination Amid COVID-19 - 07/22/2024

“COVID-19 is here, but so is the flu.” That is the message of a new downloadable poster available from the Texas Medical Association’s Be Wise – Immunize program to help you stress the need for flu vaccination, this year more than ever.

TMA Awards Minority Scholarships to Help Diversify Workforce - 10/23/2023

With medical school applications at an all-time high, the Texas Medical Association upheld its commitment to diversify the state’s workforce by awarding scholarships to minority students  who plan to attend Texas’ 15 medical schools this fall.  TMA announced this year’s minority scholarship winners Friday during TexMed.

Rotations, Residency Applications, Testing Fees? TMA Low-Interest Loans Can Help - 10/03/2023

As a medical student, Zachary Hamilton, MD, had no idea how he was going to pay for his fourth-year residency applications and travel expenses to interviews. Then he heard about and applied for a TMA low-interest educational loan.

Build Immunization Awareness During August - 09/11/2023

If you weren’t already aware, August is National Immunization Awareness Month. As a physician, you’re aware of how important vaccines are for public health. But some of your patients might not know or understand the benefits of getting vaccinated. Whether you’re talking to parents of young children, senior citizens, or anyone in between, TMA’s Be Wise – Immunize has some tools you can use.

Here’s Everything You Need to Spread the Word About Flu Vaccines - 09/06/2023

Today is Texas Influenza Awareness Day, which the Texas Department of State Health Services designated to stress the importance of every Texan over 6 months old receiving a seasonal flu vaccine. The Texas Medical Association’s Be Wise – Immunize program has created several tools and resources you can use to get the word out today and throughout flu season.

New CME! Talk to Parents About Vaccine-Preventable Diseases - 09/06/2023

Talking to parents about vaccines can be challenging, especially with the anti-vaccine movement, and the COVID-19 pandemic has caused a decline in childhood vaccinations across the country. That’s why the Texas Medical Association has created a CME course to better prepare you for these conversations.

TCEP Kicks Off Hard Hats for Little Heads Collaboration - 08/31/2023

More than 300 students at Waverly Park Elementary School in Fort Worth received some early holiday cheer in late November with a free bicycle helmet from the Texas College of Emergency Physicians in conjunction with TMA’s Hard Hats for Little Heads program.

Encourage School Vaccinations with Prewritten Letters to the Editor - 08/31/2023

To help you spread the word to families who might have missed or avoided vaccinations during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Texas Medical Association’s Be Wise – Immunize program and the Texas Pediatric Society have created four prewritten letters to the editor you can send to your local newspaper.

Be Wise Grant Helps San Angelo Prevent Cancer - 07/13/2023

College students must make a lot of decisions for themselves. For students at Angelo State University (ASU) in San Angelo, the decision to get vaccinated against human papillomavirus (HPV)  came easier thanks to the Concho Valley County Medical Society and TMA’s Be Wise — ImmunizeSM program.

Financial Stress During Residency? TMA Low-Interest Loans Can Help - 03/15/2023

“Professional and fast.” That’s how one Texas resident physician described the application process for a low-interest loan from the Texas Medical Association, which bridged the gap before he received his first paycheck during residency.

Apply Now: Scholarships for Students Who Want to Serve the Underserved - 02/27/2023

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.

TMA Insurance Trust Gift Helps Struggling Physicians - 01/19/2023

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.

Science Education Bolstered by TMA Science Teaching Awards - 11/14/2022

While the COVID-19 pandemic has exposed numerous gaps and shortfalls, it also has emphasized the need for science. The Texas Medical Association’s Ernest and Sarah Butler Awards for Excellence in Science Teaching help shine a light on the importance of science education to secure for the future of health care and more.

Why the Physicians Benevolent Fund Is Important: A Conversation With TMA Vice Speaker John Flores, MD - 11/08/2022

WHEN PHYSICIANS AND their families encounter personal hardship – such as a widow left with a family to raise following her physician husband’s death, or an elderly couple struggling to make ends meet as their savings dwindle following a dementia diagnosis – the Texas Medical Association’s Physicians Benevolent Fund (PBF) is here to help.

By Popular Demand: Top Wellness CME Courses - 11/07/2022

Your wellness matters. That’s why TMA is committed to providing health and wellness CME courses to enhance your life journey, with many available for ethics credit. As a TMA member, you can access CME courses at no cost, thanks to

When Physicians Need Treatment, TMA’s PBF Wellness Fund Can Help - 09/23/2022

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

TMA Offers Low-Interest Loans for Students, Resident Physicians - 09/16/2022

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.

Moving After Your Match? TMA’s Low-Interest Loans Can Help - 09/16/2022

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.

TMA Science-Teaching Grant Contributes to Novel Scientific Discovery in Texas - 09/12/2022

Fifth-graders at an Austin elementary school, with the help of their Texas Medical Association-honored science teacher Hannah Cotten, discovered three new species of microscopic animals on their school campus. The microscopes students used to make the discovery were purchased with a resource grant Ms. Cotten received as a winner in TMA’s Ernest and Sarah Butler Awards for Excellence in Science Teaching.

More Than Money: Scholarship Helps Medical Students Focus on Training - 08/15/2022

For medical students like John Austin, Alexa Ciarolla, and David Garate, a scholarship means much more than just lightening their financial load. It means connection with and support from the Texas medical community. It means more focus

Need Help Paying for Medical School? Check Out These TMA Scholarships - 07/18/2022

Second-year medical student Aryana Garza is the first member of her family to attend medical school. Receiving the Texas Medical Association’s 50-Year Club Scholarship eased some of the obstacles she has faced in that endeavor.

Why the Physicians Benevolent Fund Is Important: A Conversation - 07/11/2022

When physicians and their families encounter personal hardship – such as a widow left with a family to raise following her physician husband’s death, or an elderly couple struggling to make ends meets as their savings dwindle following a dementia diagnosis – the Texas Medical Association’s Physicians Benevolent Fund (PBF) is here to help.

Science Teachers Inspire Future Physicians, Earn TMA Honors - 06/27/2022

The foundation for a great physician begins in a classroom, with inspiration from passionate science teachers. Three outstanding Texas science teachers received the Texas Medical Association’s 2022 Ernest and Sarah Butler Awards for Excellence in Science Teaching at a ceremony in Austin earlier this month.

Physicians Benevolent Fund Supports Physicians in Need - 06/07/2022

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.

Help a Physician in Need With a Referral to The Physicians Benevolent Fund - 06/07/2022

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.