Young Physicians Organization (YPO)

HCMS offers a variety of benefits and services to meet the needs of young physicians.

The Young Physicians Organization (YPO) offers a variety of programs throughout the year for all young physicians to network for referrals and collaborate with colleagues.

Young physicians are defined as physicians age 40 or younger, or have been in practice for eight years or less.

Led by the Council of Young Physicians, the YPO hosts social events meant for attendees to connect with other young physicians throughout Harris County, earn continuing medical education and relax in a comfortable environment.

YPO Meetings

  • New Member and Young Physician Reception - This unique complimentary reception is designed to introduce new and young members to the many benefits and services available through HCMS membership. The New Member/Young Physician Reception is held in early August each year.  Enjoy a complimentary evening with your family while you explore the traveling summer exhibit at The Health Museum, network with colleagues, and earn a one hour ethics CME credit by attending the CME presentation. The meeting orginally scheduled for August 6, 2024 has been CANCELLED.
  • Young Physicians Organization Annual Happy Hour and Ethics CME - Join fellow young physicians for happy hour, networking and ethics CME at the HCMS Young Physicians Organization's meeting. The YPO met on May 16, 2024. 
To register for the above events, please click here.
Additional Meetings of Interest for Young Physicians
  • Branch Meetings - HCMS physicians are designated to a branch in the area where they work or reside and receive announcements regarding upcoming meetings via email and fax. Each branch meets three times a year, twice between February and May and once in the fall. New members and physicians in their first and second year of practice are invited to attend free of charge. Click for the schedule of upcoming branch meetings.
  • Marketing 101 ethics CME - This Ethics CME presentation is typically held in the summer and focuses on how to grow your patient base and referral network by utilizing HCMS and TMA tools available to you to support those efforts. Regardless of whether you are a young physician developing your practice or an established physician facing a retiring referral base, it is important to know the tools available to you to grow your practice. This event is open to physicians and their staff. This program will be offered at the 2024 HCMS Business Expo in September. Stay tuned for Expo details.

Resources to Develop Your Patient Base

HCMS offers a variety of resources to develop your patient base, from mailing labels to send marketing collateral to colleagues, to practice descriptions to enhance your visibility in the online Physician Directory. For a quick tutorial on how to navigate the Physician Directory and increase your visibility click here .  For details on no cost and low cost resources, click here. Free offers are available to physicians in their first and second year in practice.

TMA offers a variety of resources from social media resource center to the use of testimonials in advertising. Click for more information. Click for TMA's Young Physician Section.

Practice Resources 

HCMS offers a variety of resources to manage your practice ranging from a New Practice Checklist to tables and grids to assist physicians' offices with contacting health plans (for eligibility, benefits, pre-certifications, etc.). Services offered include free assistance to resolve claim issues/problems with payers. Click for more information.

HCMS offers a Buyers Guide directory of vendors with contact information of staff who cater to the needs of physicians. The vendors are organized in product categories that serve the physicians professional and personal needs; from accounting services to waste management and from nanny services to wealth advisers. 

HCMS also offers a concierge Auto Program, a no-cost member service designed to spare you the aggravation and hassle normally associated with the purchase of a new or pre-owned vehicle. Low financing is available with approved credit.

TMA offers a variety of resources, ranging from consulting services to webinars on most topics related to running a medical practice. In addition, the TMA Knowledge Center offers free assistance with answering your operational questions. Click for more information. 

The TMA Leadership College offers a suggested reading list for early career physicians which provides links to the articles. Click here to look at the reading material .

Employment and Employed Physicians 

Both HCMS and TMA offer numerous resources to employed physicians ranging from contract negotiation to an RVU calculator. Click for more information.

In addition, HCMS offers a Physician Career Center which lists employment opportunities for physicians across all settings.

Opportunities for Involvement 

HCMS offers a variety of opportunities for involvement. To learn more about becoming a Young Physician Ambassador or about additional leadership opportunities within HCMS, contact Regina Royal at regina_royal@hcms.org or 713-524-4267, ext. 243. Click for a list of opportunities.

TMA also offers a variety of opportunities for involvement through its Young Physicians Section.

HCMS Young Physician Leaders - Council of Young Physicians

The Council of Young Physicians consists of the Chair and Vice Chair of the Young Physicians Organization and the Young Physician Ambassadors for all the seven branches. The Ambassadors are young physicians appointed from each of the seven branches of HCMS to ensure that programming at the branches is relevant to young physicians and to increase the attendance and participation of young physicians in HCMS events and meetings. The Vice Chair and Chair of the Young Physicians Organization are elected from among the Young Physician Ambassadors.

For those interested in future elective positions, this is a good place to start. Leadership at the Council starts with a position as a Young Physician Ambassador. The Young Physicians Organization welcomes your involvement and encourages you to explore the opportunities to actively participate in your society and obtain experience needed to seek elective office. 

2024 Council of Young Physicians


Savitha Bonthala, DO - Central Branch, Chair
Lauren E. Spoo, MD - West Branch, Vice Chair

Nabila B. Choudhury, MD, Central Branch
Chantal Lisette Mendes, MD, Central Branch
Linda X. Pang, MD, Central Branch
Grant P. Redrow, MD, Central Branch
Urmeel H. Patel, MD, North Branch
Stephanie U. Morris, MD, North Branch
Margaret Wat, MD, Northwest Branch
Daniela C. McConnell, MD, Northwest Branch
Emily R. Calasanz, MD, Southeast Branch
Balaguru G. Ravi, MD, Southeast Branch
Harrison P. Nguyen, MD, Southeast Branch
Zishan Hirani, MD, Southwest Branch
Pallav Halani, MD, Southwest Branch
Jessica M. Stull, MD. West Branch
Lauren E. Spoo, MD, West Branch