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On April 30, 1866, ten Waco physicians met to organize the Waco Medical Association with the primary objectives of sharing medical knowledge and promoting public health improvement. Two of these physicians, Dr. David R. Wallace and Dr. John H. Sears, also were instrumental in the reorganization of the Texas State Medical Association in 1869, serving as President as did other Waco physicians in later years. Broadening its scope in 1903, the Waco Medical Association became the McLennan County Medical Society (MCMS) with 180 doctors listed as members. In 1905, with public support from MCMS physicians, the Daughters of Charity opened Providence Sanitarium, signaling a change from home-based to hospital-based medical care. In 1917, the Women’s Auxiliary to the MCMS was formed to assist in promoting and improving public health, later changing its name in the 1990s to the McLennan County Medical Alliance. Both groups are dedicated to education and outreach within the community. McLennan County physicians played an important role in treating victims of the 1953 Waco Tornado; they donated all of the insurance proceeds to a special disaster relief fund for the city. In 1969, MCMS founded the McLennan County Family Practice Residency Program to train family physicians – the only such program founded and administered by a Medical Society. The McLennan County Medical Society’s commitment to quality and affordable care has vastly improved the quality of life of Waco-area citizens. |
