July 22, 2024
Sixteen students entering Texas medical schools this fall are getting a financial boost on their way. Each of the students, who are members of minorities underrepresented among physicians, will receive a $10,000 scholarship from the Texas Medical Association (TMA). Physicians selected the students – one for each of Texas’ 16 medical schools – for their academic achievement, commitment to community service, and desire to care for Texas’ increasingly diverse population.
TMA created the Diversity in Medicine Scholarship (formerly TMA Minority Scholarship) in 1998 to help diversify the physician workforce to meet the health care needs of Texans. The TMA Educational Scholarship and Loans Committee chose one recipient entering each Texas medical school from a competitive field of promising future physicians. The TMA Foundation (TMAF), the association’s philanthropic arm, funds the program. TMA has awarded 226 scholarships totaling more than $1.7 million since the program’s inception.
The scholarships reduce the students’ financial burden of attending medical school. The national average medical student’s debt is $205,000.
Recipients are known as the “Bayardo Scholars” in recognition of the majority support provided by the TMA Foundation Trust Fund of Roberto J. Bayardo, MD, and the late Agniela (Annie) M. Bayardo of Houston. This year’s scholarships also are supported by generous gifts from the Patrick Y. Leung, MD, Endowment and annual gifts from H-E-B; Baldemar Covarrubias, MD; county medical societies; and gifts from physicians and their families.
“Many of these scholars have come from places in the U.S. and around the world where adequate health care is lacking,” Dr. Bayardo said. “This experience prepares them well to meet those needs in areas of Texas with limited access to care and to those with shared racial identity [to themselves].”
2024 TMA Bayardo Scholars (listed alphabetically by hometown name)
Ekundayo Oloworibi of Amarillo earned a bachelor’s degree in nursing from Midwestern State University. Mr. Oloworibi plans to continue his studies at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center School of Medicine and later practice family or internal medicine in Texas. The TMAF Bayardo Trust Fund and Cynthia A. Jumper, MD, of Lubbock are providing his scholarship.
Nicole Garza of Arlington received a bachelor of science degree in biology in 2022 from The University of Texas at Austin. Ms. Garza will study at UT Health San Antonio Long School of Medicine and later plans to become a geriatrician. Her scholarship is provided by the TMAF Bayardo Trust Fund and Drs. Rajam and Somayaji Ramamurthy of San Antonio.
Sylvie Inkindi of California earned her master’s degrees in microbiology and epidemiology from the University of California, Los Angeles, after earning her bachelor’s degree in biological sciences. She will study at Anne Burnett Marion School of Medicine at Texas Christian University with the goal of practicing internal medicine. Ms. Inkindi’s scholarship is provided by the TMAF Bayardo Trust Fund and Kim M. Rice, MD, of Dallas.
Jocelyn Torres of Clint received a bachelor’s degree in biology from St. Mary’s University in May 2024. Ms. Torres will continue her studies at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley School of Medicine. She plans to provide primary care for patients in West Texas. Her scholarship is provided by the TMAF Bayardo Trust Fund.
Kaitlynn McClellan of Converse graduated from Case Western Reserve University in 2021 with a master’s degree in physiology, after earning a bachelor’s degree in biology from George Mason University. She will study at the University of the Incarnate Word School of Osteopathic Medicine and plans to care for people in South Texas. The TMAF Bayardo Trust Fund and H-E-B are providing Ms. McClellan’s scholarship.
Raven Hollis of Dallas received a bachelor’s degree in biology with a double minor in chemistry and health from Prairie View A&M University. Ms. Hollis plans to practice a primary care specialty in an underserved Houston area. She will attend the University of Houston Tilman J. Fertitta Family College of Medicine. The TMAF Bayardo Trust Fund and Ashok Khushalani, MD, of Humble provided Ms. Hollis’ scholarship.
Sachell Valenzuela-Vizcarra of El Paso graduated from Texas A&M University in 2022 with a bachelor of science degree in biochemistry. He plans to pursue a primary care specialty in an underserved area of Texas. Mr. Valenzuela will attend Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center Paul L. Foster School of Medicine. His scholarship is provided by the TMAF Bayardo Trust Fund.
Calandra Jones of Fort Worth earned a master’s degree in biomedical science from Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso, after earning her bachelor’s degree in nutritional sciences from Texas A&M University. Ms. Jones will attend The University of Texas at Tyler School of Medicine with the goal of becoming a pediatrician. The TMAF Bayardo Trust Fund and Laurie J. Sutor, MD, of Dallas are providing Ms. Jones’ scholarship.
Andrew Lara of Friendswood will receive a bachelor’s degree in biology and Spanish from UT Austin. Mr. Lara will study at McGovern Medical School at UTHealth and intends to practice integrated primary care. His scholarship is provided by the TMAF Bayardo Trust Fund and H-E-B.
Diego Arellano of Grand Prairie graduated from Texas A&M University in 2022 with a bachelor’s degree in biology. He intends to practice family medicine in the Rio Grande Valley, after attending UTMB John Sealy School of Medicine. His scholarship is provided by the TMAF Bayardo Trust Fund; Mark J. Kubala, MD, of Beaumont; Drs. Mary Dale Peterson & Rafael Coutin of Corpus Christi; Kevin McKinney, MD, of Galveston; and Baldemar Covarrubias, MD, of Corpus Christi.
Mary Ancelmo of Houston earned a bachelor’s degree in biology from Columbia University. Ms. Ancelmo will pursue her medical degree at UT Southwestern Medical School, and she intends to provide patient care and conduct medical research in Texas. The TMAF Bayardo Trust Fund, Dallas County Medical Society, and H. Gordon Green, MD, of Dallas are providing her scholarship.
Michael Hope of Keller received a bachelor’s degree in neuroscience from Baylor University. He will study at Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine, with the goal of becoming an orthopedic surgeon in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Mr. Hope’s scholarship is provided by the TMAF Bayardo Trust Fund.
Evelyne Ramirez of Longview earned a bachelor’s degree in neuroscience from UT Austin. She will attend Baylor College of Medicine with the goal of becoming an obstetrician-gynecologist. The TMAF Bayardo Trust Fund, Harris County Medical Society/Houston Academy of Medicine, and Carla F. Ortique, MD, of Houston are providing her scholarship.
Dorcas Abiara of Mansfield graduated from Texas A&M University with a bachelor’s degree in biomedical science in 2023. Miss Abiara will study at The University of Texas at Austin Dell Medical School. Her scholarship is provided by the TMAF Bayardo Trust Fund, Travis County Medical Society, Abraham Delgado, MD, of Austin, and William Schleuse of Austin.
Vivian Quinlan of Mission received her bachelor of science degree in biology from UT Austin. She will attend Sam Houston State University College of Osteopathic Medicine and intends to practice pediatrics or internal medicine in South Texas. Ms. Quinlan’s scholarship is provided by the TMAF Bayardo Trust Fund.
Ifeoma Mbue of Rosharon earned a bachelor’s degree in biology from Texas Woman’s University. She will pursue her medical degree at Texas A&M University School of Medicine and she plans to care for underserved patients in Texas. The TMAF Bayardo Trust Fund and Bell County Medical Society are providing Ms. Mbue’s scholarship.
TMA is the largest state medical society in the nation, representing more than 57,000 physician and medical student members. It is 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. The TMA Foundation raises funds to support the population health, science, and quality-of-care priority initiatives of TMA and the family of medicine.
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Contact: Brent Annear (512) 370-1381; cell: (512) 656-7320
Swathi Narayanan (512) 370-1382; cell: (408) 987-1318
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