TAFP Past President Doug Curran, M.D.,
to run for the TMA Board of Trustees

posted 02.11.10

TAFP Past President Douglas Curran, M.D., of Athens has announced his intention to run for the Texas Medical Association Board of Trustees. If elected, Curran would join other TAFP members in the TMA leadership: Trustee Lewis Foxhall, M.D., of Houston, and Secretary/Treasurer Art Klawitter, M.D., of Needville.

Dr. Curran currently practices in Athens, Texas as a staff physician with East Texas Medical Center and Lakeland Medical Associates, Group Practice. Over his 25 years in medicine, Dr. Curran has become a recognized advocate for the patients and physicians of Texas. He played a leading role in the passage of Texas’ groundbreaking medical liability reforms, fought for sweeping patients’ rights reforms including holding managed care companies accountable for their actions, championed legislation to improve the Children’s Health Insurance Program and Medicaid, and fought attempts by non-physician practitioners to expand their scope of practice.

He has been active in TMA, TAFP, and AAFP serving on numerous committees and in various officer roles. He currently serves on the TMA Council of Legislation; is a member of TMA’s Select Committee on Medicaid, CHIP, and the Uninsured; chaired TMA’s Select Committee on National Health System Reform; and is a member of TEXPAC. At TAFP, Curran has served as chair for the Commission on Membership and Member Services, chair of the Commission on Legislative and Public Affairs, and an active member of TAFPPAC. He also served on the AAFP Commission for Governmental Advocacy.

The Board of Trustees election will be held during TexMed 2010 in Fort Worth, April 30 - May 1. Though only appointed delegates and alternate delegates in the TMA House of Delegates can participate in the election, all TMA members can take part in their county medical society caucus, either through their specific county chapter or through consolidated meetings of smaller county chapters. Most caucuses meet Saturday morning from 6:30 - 8 a.m.

TAFP strongly encourages all TMA delegates, alternate delegates, and members to attend the TMA meeting and add your voice and support to Curran’s campaign, which will further amplify the voice of family medicine in the larger house of medicine.

For more information on TexMed 2010 and to access the House of Delegates’ schedule, go to www.texmed2010.org.