Texas Medical Association
A Texas-based nonprofit professional medical association representing physicians, trainees, medical students, and allied members.
Last updated August 22, 2026
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Overview
The Texas Medical Association (TMA) is a nonprofit professional association representing physicians and other members of the medical community in Texas. Founded in Austin in 1853 by 35 physicians, it is described as the largest state medical society in the United States. Its membership includes practicing physicians, residents, medical students, and alliance members, and the organization operates through approximately 110 county medical society components across the state. TMA combines professional education, public-health communication, legislative advocacy, regulatory engagement, health-policy research, and member services. Rather than selling consumer products, it provides professional information, policy analysis, continuing education and advocacy resources, publications, public-health initiatives, and forums through which physicians can address issues affecting medical practice and patients. Its policy work includes medical liability, insurance and payment administration, scope of practice, immunization, health-care access, medical education, and the broader organization of health services in Texas. The association has developed several affiliated or associated programs and entities over time. TEXPAC, established in 1962, serves as TMA's bipartisan political action committee and supports candidates for state and federal office. The Texas Medical Association Foundation, created in 1966 as a 501(c)(3) organization, funds public-health and science initiatives involving TMA physicians. The Texas Medical Association Alliance, formerly the Woman's Auxiliary to TMA, is a volunteer organization involved in community health service, legislation, and political action. TMA also maintains a History of Medicine Gallery in its Austin headquarters and preserves archival material related to medicine in Texas. TMA's publications include Texas Medicine, a monthly magazine covering public health, medicolegal matters, medical economics, science, education, legislation, and issues affecting physicians and patients. Texas Medicine Today is a daily electronic newsletter intended to provide timely information about the medical community. The association has also created issue-specific initiatives, including the Hassle Factor Log for documenting insurance-payment problems, the Hard Hats for Little Heads bicycle-safety program, the Border Health Caucus, the Be Wise—Immunize childhood-immunization initiative, and participation in the Choosing Wisely campaign. Historically, TMA expanded its membership and institutional role in stages. Women physicians were admitted in 1893, the association began publishing its medical journal in 1905, and osteopathic physicians joined in 1972. Medical students became members in 1973. The group has played an active role in Texas health legislation, including support for the state's 2003 medical-liability tort-reform law and the associated constitutional amendment concerning noneconomic-damages limits. It has also opposed legislative expansions of nonphysician scope of practice when it considers them inconsistent with physician-led care. The association remains active as a statewide representative organization for Texas physicians and as a participant in public-health and health-policy debates.
History
The Texas Medical Association traces its origin to 1853, when 35 physicians established the organization in Austin. Its initial purpose was to strengthen medical and public-health knowledge in Texas, provide education for physicians and patients, and create a collective voice on legislation, regulation, and health policy. Joseph Taylor served as the association's first president. From its beginnings, TMA developed as a statewide professional society rather than as a commercial enterprise. The organization broadened its membership and communications functions during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Women physicians became eligible for membership in 1893. In July 1905, TMA issued the first number of its medical journal, a publication that later became Texas Medicine. In 1918, the Woman's Auxiliary to TMA was established. Renamed the Texas Medical Association Alliance in 1992, the volunteer group continued work in community health, legislation, and political action. TMA created its library in 1922, adding an institutional resource for medical information and historical material. A major formal change came in 1951, when the Texas Legislature extended the association's charter for 50 years and its name officially changed from the State Medical Association of Texas to Texas Medical Association. In 1957, TMA created the Anson Jones, MD, Awards to recognize excellence in health-care and medical-news reporting in Texas. May Owen became the association's first female president in 1960. Two years later, TMA established TEXPAC, a bipartisan political action committee that supports candidates for state and federal office. The Texas Medical Association Foundation followed in 1966 as a 501(c)(3) organization supporting public-health and science initiatives associated with TMA physicians. TMA continued to expand participation in the following decades. Osteopathic physicians joined in 1972, and medical students were incorporated as members in 1973. The association increasingly focused on practical problems affecting medical practice. In 1991 it established the Hassle Factor Log, which allowed physicians to record payment and administrative difficulties involving insurance companies. The same year, TMA opened its History of Medicine Gallery on the ground floor of its headquarters. The gallery presents changing exhibitions drawn from the association's archives and collections. Public-health programming became another important part of TMA's work. The Hard Hats for Little Heads initiative began in 1994 to reduce bicycle-related head injuries. In 2000, TMA created the Border Health Caucus to draw attention to health disparities along the United States–Mexico border and to the effects of those disparities on patients and physicians. The Be Wise—Immunize program was launched in 2004 to promote childhood immunization. TMA later joined the Choosing Wisely campaign in 2013, aligning itself with efforts to encourage more appropriate and evidence-informed use of health-care services. TMA has also played an active role in state health-policy debates. In 2003, it helped support Texas tort-reform legislation that capped noneconomic damages in medical-liability cases at $250,000, with the potential for a higher aggregate limit when up to two hospitals were involved in a patient's care. The association also supported Proposition 12, a constitutional amendment intended to prevent the cap from being overturned through litigation. In more recent policy debates, TMA has opposed legislation that would broaden the scope of practice of nonphysician providers. In 2021, it supported groups opposing Texas House Bill 2029, which addressed workforce shortages and access to care. TMA's present activities encompass professional representation, legislative and regulatory advocacy, health-policy research, education, public-health communication, and member publications. Its statewide structure includes approximately 110 county medical societies. Texas Medicine remains its monthly member magazine, while Texas Medicine Today provides daily electronic news. The association continues to operate from Austin and is led, according to the cited reference, by President Bradford Holland, MD.
- 2013
Choosing Wisely campaign joined
[1]TMA joined the Choosing Wisely initiative.
- 2004
Be Wise—Immunize created
[1]TMA launched a childhood-immunization program.
- 2003
Texas tort-reform measures supported
[1]TMA supported medical-liability reforms and Proposition 12 concerning limits on noneconomic damages.
- 2000
Border Health Caucus created
[1]TMA formed a caucus focused on health-care disparities along the United States–Mexico border.
- 1994
Hard Hats for Little Heads launched
[1]The bicycle-safety initiative began with the goal of reducing head injuries among children.
- 1992
Woman's Auxiliary renamed TMA Alliance
[1]The Woman's Auxiliary became the Texas Medical Association Alliance.
- 1991
Hassle Factor Log and History of Medicine Gallery introduced
[1]TMA launched a system for recording insurance-payment problems and opened a gallery devoted to the history of medicine.
- 1973
Medical students incorporated as members
[1]TMA expanded its membership to include medical students.
- 1972
Osteopathic physicians admitted
[1]Osteopathic physicians became eligible to join TMA.
- 1966
Texas Medical Association Foundation created
[1]TMA established a 501(c)(3) foundation to fund public-health and science initiatives.
Products and positioning
A statewide physician-led professional association combining member representation, health-policy advocacy, medical education, public-health programming, and professional communications.
Professional publication · 1905
Texas Medicine
A monthly TMA publication for members covering public health, medicolegal issues, medical economics, science, medical education, legislative affairs, and matters affecting Texas physicians and their patients. It developed from the Texas State Medical Journal, whose first issue appeared in 1905.
Electronic newsletter
Texas Medicine Today
A daily electronic newsletter reporting developments and information relevant to the Texas medical community.
Political action committee · 1962
TEXPAC
TMA's bipartisan political action committee, established to provide financial support to candidates for state and federal office.
Public-health program · 2004
Be Wise—Immunize
A TMA initiative created to promote childhood immunization and improve vaccination rates in Texas.
Injury-prevention program · 1994
Hard Hats for Little Heads
A child-safety program focused on reducing bicycle-related head injuries.
Medical-history exhibition · 1991
History of Medicine Gallery
A gallery at TMA's Austin headquarters presenting changing exhibits drawn from the association's archives and collections.
Marketing campaigns
- 2013Choosing Wisely
United States · Texas
TMA joined the Choosing Wisely campaign, which promotes conversations about appropriate care and seeks to reduce unnecessary tests and treatments.
- 2004Be Wise—Immunize
Texas
The program was created to promote childhood immunization and increase vaccination rates in Texas.
- 1994Hard Hats for Little Heads
Texas
TMA launched a bicycle-safety effort intended to reduce head injuries among children.
Brand decisions
2021
Opposition to Texas House Bill 2029OtherBackground
House Bill 2029 addressed Texas's medical-workforce shortage and public access to health care.
Action taken
TMA supported opposition from the Association of American Physicians and Surgeons and Physicians for Patient Protection, reflecting its broader opposition to expanding nonphysician scope of practice.
2003
Support for Texas medical-liability tort reformStrategyBackground
Texas lawmakers considered changes to medical-liability litigation and noneconomic-damages limits.
Action taken
TMA supported the 2003 Tort Reform Act and Proposition 12, a constitutional amendment intended to protect the damages cap from legal challenge.
Aftermath
The reform established a $250,000 cap on noneconomic damages in medical-liability litigation, with a possible aggregate limit of $750,000 when liability involved up to two hospitals.
- Support for Proposition 14 dementia-research instituteStrategy
Background
Texas considered a constitutional initiative to establish a dementia-prevention research institute.
Action taken
TMA expressed support for Proposition 14 and its proposed use of $3 billion from the state's general fund.
Proposed public funding. 3000000000 USD
Sources2 sources
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