AUSTIN, Texas (August 18, 2008) -- Texas Medical Liability Trust (TMLT) is proud to announce the winners of the 2008 TMLT Memorial Scholarships.

• Alexander J. Alvarez is a third-year medical student at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School.
• Megan Gentry is a third-year medical student at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio.
• Douglas James Heiner is a third-year medical student at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston.
• Michael Merrick is a fourth-year medical student at theUniversity of Texas Medical School at Houston.
• Ana Nguyen is a fourth-year medical student at the Texas Tech University Health Science Center School of Medicine.
• Kyle Piwonka is a fourth-year medical student at the University of North Texas Health Science Center’s Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine.
• Jenny Van Winkle (pictured above right) is a fourth-year medical student at the Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine.
• Ajit Vyas is a fourth-year medical student at Baylor College of Medicine.

For the past 4 years, TMLT has awarded a $5,000 scholarship to one student at each Texas medical school that participated in the competition. Scholarship recipients are chosen based on each student’s financial need and written essay. Winning essays are available on TMLT web site (www.tmlt.org) and will be published in TMLT’s newsletter, the Reporter.

The TMLT Memorial Scholarships recognize Texas medical students who are interested in finding creative ways to enhance patient safety and who can communicate their ideas in a short essay. Applications for the scholarship are available in early spring at www.tmlt.org. The TMLT Board of Governors evaluates the applications and chooses the recipients.

About TMLT: Texas Medical Liability Trust is a physician-owned, health care liability claim trust offering medical liability insurance products to Texas physicians. Created in 1979 by Texas Medical Association, TMLT currently protects more than 14,000 physicians in all specialties practicing in all areas of the state.

Release courtesy of TMLT Media Office.