Gov. Perry Appoints Varma to Texas Medical Board

Gov. Rick Perry has appointed Surendra Varma, M.D., to the Texas Medical Board. The board protects and enhances the public's health, safety and welfare by establishing and maintaining standards of excellence used in regulating the practice of medicine and ensuring quality health care for Texans.

Varma is the associate dean of Graduate Medical Education and Resident Affairs at the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center (TTUHSC). He also is the Ted Hartman Endowed Chair in Medical Education and vice-chairman of Pediatrics at the TTUHSC School of Medicine.

“As a leader in health care education as well as the field of pediatrics, Dr. Varma’s appointment to the Texas Medical Board is well deserved,” said Steven L. Berk, M.D., TTUHSC executive vice president, provost and dean of the School of Medicine. “His commitment to those afflicted with endocrine metabolic diseases has changed the lives of countless people across our state. We are proud that our School of Medicine is represented in leadership roles across the state.”

Varma is certified by the American Board of Pediatrics in pediatrics and pediatric endocrinology. He is a member of the American and Texas Pediatric societies, American and Texas Medical associations, Pediatric Endocrine Society, American Academy of Pediatrics, Society for Pediatric Research, The Endocrine Society, American Diabetes Association, Academic Pediatric Association and the Texas Medical Board District Three Review Committee. He also is a member of the Texas Medical Foundation Health Quality Institute Board of Trustees, past president of the Texas Pediatric Society and the Lubbock, Crosby and Garza County Medical societies, and a past member of the U.S. Health and Human Services Advisory Committee on Training in Primary Care Medicine and Dentistry. He served in the U.S. Army Reserve.

Varma received a medical degree from King George's Medical University and completed his pediatrics and pediatric endocrinology fellowships at Harvard Medical School.

The Texas Medical Board term will expire April 13, 2019.

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