TITLE: Recognizing E. Linda Villarreal for her service as president of the Texas Medical Association.

SUMMARY: Recognizing E. Linda Villarreal for her service as president of the Texas Medical Association.

FULL TEXT:
WHEREAS, The Legislature of the State of Texas is pleased to recognize Dr. E. Linda Villarreal on her distinguished service and leadership as president of the Texas Medical Association; and WHEREAS, Dr. Linda Villarreal served as president of the Texas Medical Association from 2021 to 2022; an invaluable asset to the organization during the COVID-19 pandemic, she guided the administration with diligence and determination in a time of challenges and uncertainty, and her leadership reflected her commitment to the highest ideals of medicine; and WHEREAS, Dr. Villarreal opened Memorial Medical Clinic in 1989 in her hometown of Edinburg, where she has practiced medicine for more than 30 years; trained as an internist, she has fought for improved health care at the Texas-Mexico border, where patients often cannot afford insurance; she has worked tirelessly to support the interests of patients in rural regions experiencing physician shortages and to shed light on such social determinants of health as food insecurity, unemployment, and environmental hazards; and WHEREAS, Throughout her career and her leadership as president of the Texas Medical Association, Dr. Villarreal made many contributions to organized medicine in the Rio Grande Valley and across the state; a vocal protector of medical practitioners and their patients, Dr. Villarreal defended the interests of the medical profession and contributed her efforts to increasing funding for graduate medical education; and WHEREAS, Driven and determined in all of her endeavors, Dr. Villarreal remained undeterred in the pursuit of her childhood dream of becoming a doctor despite many obstacles and great personal sacrifice; she earned her bachelor's degree in pharmacy from The University of Texas at Austin in 1970, and after practicing pharmacology for over a decade, she enrolled in medical school in Tampico, Mexico; after earning her degree, she completed her medical residency in El Paso before returning to Edinburg, where she opened a private practice in internal medicine and joined the staff of Edinburg General Hospital; and WHEREAS, Dr. Villarreal has served in a range of leadership roles with the Hidalgo-Starr County Medical Society, and she served as the Texas delegate to the American Medical Association; she has held positions with the Texas Medical Association including board, council, and committee roles in addition to her leadership as chair of the board and her service as president of the association; and WHEREAS, A brilliant, compassionate, and widely respected physician, Dr. Villarreal has dedicated her time and energy to saving lives and to faithfully serving the interests of patients and the members of her profession; she is an inspiration to her colleagues and to generations of future doctors, and it is indeed fitting that she receive special recognition on her outstanding leadership and achievements; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the 88th Legislature of the State of Texas hereby commend Dr. E. Linda Villarreal on her exemplary service as president of the Texas Medical Association and on her invaluable contributions to the field of medicine in Texas and extend to her best wishes for the future and for continued success in her endeavours; and, be it further RESOLVED, That a copy of this resolution be prepared for her as an expression of esteem from the Texas Legislature. President of the Senate Speaker of the House I hereby certify that S.C.R. No. 54 was adopted by the Senate on May 19, 2023. Secretary of the Senate I hereby certify that S.C.R. No. 54 was adopted by the House on May 25, 2023. Chief Clerk of the House Approved: Date Governor