“We view Texas as our campus and are committed to finding innovative ways to help every Texan receive access to personalized medical care,” said Dr. Amy Waer ’23, dean of the Vashisht College of Medicine. “Knowing that some of our state’s more rural communities struggle with accessing basic health care services, we are proud to take the lead on Texas A&M’s Access to Care Initiative. This groundbreaking effort, which is made possible through the generous support of the Mulva Family Foundation, will leverage world-class expertise across The Texas A&M University System while tapping into the Vashisht College of Medicine’s deep statewide network of relationships, which we’ve developed through our Rural Medicine Program over the past six years.”
As part of this effort, the Vashisht College of Medicine will engage with a variety of partners, including Texas A&M’s Rangel College of Pharmacy, the Texas A&M Health Telehealth Institute, and Texas A&M BUILD; The Texas A&M University System’s Texas A&M AgriLife Research, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service, Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station, Texas A&M Transportation Institute, and the Office of Veteran & Military Services; and area medical providers.
“We have the opportunity to use this gift to do something extraordinary and exceptional,” said Curtis Donaldson ’81, the Rural Medicine Program executive director who is overseeing the Access to Care expansion. “We’re bringing in top expertise from across Texas A&M and The Texas A&M University System and working with our rural and corporate partners to utilize cutting-edge technology such as telehealth and drones to meet the needs of rural Texans.”
In addition to serving communities, the expansion of Access to Care will provide an important educational opportunity for Texas A&M students.
“Our students and the communities we serve will feel this gift’s impact for years to come. It will create new opportunities for learning, discovery and professional development, empowering future pharmacists to make meaningful contributions to rural patient care and public health,” said Dr. Mansoor Khan, dean of the Rangel College of Pharmacy. “We are deeply grateful for this investment and the commitment it represents to advancing our mission of reimagining pharmacy and transforming lives, particularly in rural and underserved communities.”
