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CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
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WHEREAS, The Legislature of the State of Texas is pleased to |
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recognize Dr. E. Linda Villarreal on her distinguished service and |
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leadership as president of the Texas Medical Association; and |
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WHEREAS, Dr. Linda Villarreal served as president of the |
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Texas Medical Association from 2021 to 2022; an invaluable asset to |
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the organization during the COVID-19 pandemic, she guided the |
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administration with diligence and determination in a time of |
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challenges and uncertainty, and her leadership reflected her |
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commitment to the highest ideals of medicine; and |
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WHEREAS, Dr. Villarreal opened Memorial Medical Clinic in |
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1989 in her hometown of Edinburg, where she has practiced medicine |
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for more than 30 years; trained as an internist, she has fought for |
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improved health care at the Texas-Mexico border, where patients |
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often cannot afford insurance; she has worked tirelessly to support |
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the interests of patients in rural regions experiencing physician |
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shortages and to shed light on such social determinants of health as |
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food insecurity, unemployment, and environmental hazards; and |
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WHEREAS, Throughout her career and her leadership as |
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president of the Texas Medical Association, Dr. Villarreal made |
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many contributions to organized medicine in Rio Grande Valley and |
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across the state; a vocal protector of medical practitioners and |
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their patients, Dr. Villarreal defended the interests of the |
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medical profession and contributed her efforts to increasing |
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funding for graduate medical education; and |
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WHEREAS, Driven and determined in all of her endeavors, |
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Dr. Villarreal remained undeterred in the pursuit of her childhood |
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dream of becoming a doctor despite many obstacles and great |
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personal sacrifice; she earned her bachelor's degree in pharmacy |
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from The University of Texas at Austin in 1970, and after practicing |
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pharmacology for over a decade, she enrolled in medical school in |
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Tampico, Mexico; after earning her degree, she completed her |
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medical residency in El Paso before returning to Edinburg, where |
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she opened a private practice in internal medicine and joined the |
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staff of Edinburg General Hospital; and |
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WHEREAS, Dr. Villarreal has served in a range of leadership |
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roles with the Hidalgo-Starr County Medical Society, and she served |
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as the Texas delegate to the American Medical Association; she has |
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held positions with the Texas Medical Association including board, |
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council, and committee roles in addition to her leadership as chair |
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of the board and has service as president of the association; and |
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WHEREAS, A brilliant, compassionate, and widely respected |
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physician, Dr. Villarreal has dedicated her time and energy to |
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saving lives and to faithfully serving the interests of patients |
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and the members of her profession; she is an inspiration to her |
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colleagues and to generations of future doctors, and it is indeed |
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fitting that she receive special recognition on her outstanding |
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leadership and achievements; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the 88th Legislature of the State of Texas |
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hereby commend Dr. E. Linda Villarreal on her exemplary service as |
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president of the Texas Medical Association and on her invaluable |
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contributions to the field of medicine in Texas and extend to her |
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best wishes for the future and for continued success in her |
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endeavours; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That a copy of this resolution be prepared for her |
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as an expression of esteem from the Texas Legislature. |