May 25, 2023
The Texas Medical Association (TMA) Young Physicians Section has named Dallas obstetrician-gynecologist Deborah “Debbie” A. Fuller, MD, its 2023 Young at Heart Award recipient. Doctors from the TMA Young Physician Section (YPS) presented Dr. Fuller the award during TexMed, TMA’s annual meeting.
The physicians selected Dr. Fuller for her support and mentorship of young physicians. The YPS comprises TMA physicians under age 40 or in their first eight years of medical practice.
“I am honored and blessed from the top of my ‘young at heart’ head to the tips of my ‘young at heart’ toes to receive the Young at Heart Award from the YPS Section,” said Dr. Fuller.
The section’s Chair-Elect, Emma L. Dishner, MD, nominated Dr. Fuller.
“As a young physician I greatly appreciate Dr. Fuller's fun-loving personality; one only needs to see her elaborately themed TMA Foundation Gala outfits to realize this lady is fun!” she said, referring to the costumes the physician typically wears at the annual philanthropic fundraiser.
Aside from appreciating her sense of whimsy, Dr. Dishner said Dr. Fuller has been a “wonderful role model and mentor.”
As president-elect of the Dallas County Medical Society (DCMS), and a TMA leader, Dr. Fuller has been able to model physician leadership to young doctors like Dr. Dishner, a Dallas infectious diseases specialist.
“This award will always remind me that the advocacy centered around organized medicine is important to all generations of physicians,” said the honoree. “The torch we pass on is in great hands with our young physicians at TMA.”
In addition to her current DCMS office, she also was the Board of Directors’ secretary/treasurer. She also serves on the TMA Council on Member Experience, the Ad Hoc Committee on Independent Physician Practice, and the TMA Women Physicians Section. Dr. Fuller also has served on the TMA Foundation Board of Trustees – including two years as president – and chaired the Council on Health Promotion and TexMed 2010. She also is highly engaged in advocacy, chairing the DCMS political action committee and serving as district vice chair for TEXPAC, TMA’s political action committee.
“She has spent additional time to help mentor me in the Dallas County Medical Society and TMA,” said Dr. Dishner. “She is encouraging and dedicated to her roles and going above and beyond the call to show young physicians – especially young women physicians – to advocate for themselves. I can think of no better physician to be awarded the Young at Heart award.”
Dr. Fuller is an attending physician at Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas and is an associate professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Texas A&M University Medical School.
After receiving her undergraduate degree from Southern Methodist University and her medical degree from The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, Dr. Fuller completed her OB-Gyn residency at The University of Texas Health Science Center Medical Center Hospital in San Antonio.
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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