The University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) School of Public and Population Health (SPPH) is proud to announce that three of our MD/MPH students have been selected for the Albert Schweitzer Fellowship Houston Galveston (ASFHG) for the 2025-2026 fellowship year. Michael Garza, Alysha Panjwani, and Thanmayi Parasu will join fellows from across the country working at program sites throughout the United States to address the unmet health needs of vulnerable populations.
"The Albert Schweitzer Fellowship offers students in health professions programs the unique opportunity to work with a community site on a year-long project," says Leslie Stalnaker, MPH, Director of Public Health Practice at SPPH and Scholars Program Director at ASFHG . "One thing that sets the fellowship apart is its robust mentoring structure. Whether it's a pair of students working on a project together or a solo project, each project has an academic mentor, a site mentor, and a public health mentor."
Addressing Legal Barriers to Health
Michael Garza is partnering with Kyce Darouiche, a second-year medical student, to establish a Medical-Legal Partnership (MLP) at St. Vincent's student-run clinic. Their project aims to bridge justice gaps in Galveston by incorporating legal support into their medical model of care.
"I once believed it was unrealistic to expect students to change the world – but here, I've seen how even small acts can transform someone's entire world," says Garza. "The problems patients face do not exist without context and many have confounding and overlapping barriers to living healthy and abundant lives."
Through legal needs screenings conducted at the Annual St. Vincent's Health Fair, Garza and Darouiche identified significant barriers to accessing legal aid, including financial constraints and limited awareness of legal remedies. Their project will address civil legal needs related to housing disputes, eviction, environmental remediation, access to public benefits, and immigration challenges – all of which can directly impact health outcomes.
Tackling Environmental Health Disparities
Thanmayi Parasu and her project partner, Osman Khan, are focused on addressing environmental injustices that affect health outcomes in underserved communities, with a particular emphasis on lead exposure in Galveston.
"Lead exposure is an issue that's often overlooked, yet its long-term effects on children and families can be devastating," Parasu explains. "After learning more about the disproportionate risk faced by Galveston residents, especially those living in older homes without access to mitigation resources, we knew this was where we wanted to focus our efforts."
Under the mentorship of Stalnaker, they are partnering with Green Galveston to raise awareness, promote lead screening, and provide water and air filters to those most in need. Their outreach includes bilingual education for parents of young children and pregnant individuals, addressing an important community need.
The Impact of Public Health Training
These Fellows credit their MD/MPH training at SPPH with shaping their approach to community health work. The program has emphasized the importance of centering community needs and considering how policy, infrastructure, and social determinants influence health outcomes, especially in marginalized communities.
Through monthly cohort meetings, Fellows learn about different components of leadership, public health practices, and self-care strategies while connecting with peers from other institutions. This collaborative learning environment helps them refine their approaches and anticipate challenges as they implement their projects.
"The projects are mutually beneficial - they directly impact our local community, and they facilitate the growth of our students into more well-rounded practitioners," notes Stalnaker. "The Fellowship drives home many of the principles that students learn in our classrooms and students have many 'a-ha' moments of what it means to engage in meaningful community-driven work."
Continuing a Legacy of Service
SPPH's involvement with the Albert Schweitzer Fellowship has grown since the inaugural class of SPPH Fellows began their service in 2023-2024. Alumni of the program continue to stay involved, with some serving as mentors to new cohorts.
"I really encourage it. I really love it," shares Vivian Tat, PhD, MPH, who currently serves as a public health mentor. "Each month there's a meeting where you learn about different components of leadership, public health, or just de-stressing and taking a break from school. You also get to meet fellows from other institutions, which is incredibly valuable. I plan to continue supporting it through the Fellow for Life program because I believe in giving back to the fellowship that gave me so much."
Upon completion of their service year, Garza, Panjwani, and Parasu will join this vibrant network of alumni committed to addressing the health needs of underserved people throughout their careers.
The ASFHG program, launched in 2008, has trained over 80 Fellows who have contributed more than 30,000 service hours to community health initiatives throughout the Houston-Galveston region. Students interested in applying for the 2026-2027 fellowship cycle can find more information on the ASFHG website at www.asfhg.org.
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