Texas Border Business
By Yahaira Hernandez
Three Public Health students from the Texas A&M University Higher Education Center at McAllen recently volunteered in a disaster preparedness training exercise across the Rio Grande Valley.
The Texas Department of State Health Services’ annual Operation Border Health Preparedness (OBHP), brings federal, state and local health agencies together to give residents access to free medical, dental, vision, mental and veterinary services.
Since 2018, Texas A&M Health has been a partner in the event, inviting students, faculty and staff to assist with clinical, non-clinical and interprofessional services. According to Texas A&M Health, OBHP volunteers have in recent years contributed to the provision of nearly 37,000 free services to over 8,500 underserved and uninsured individuals. Services include immunizations, medical evaluations, diabetes screenings, hearing and vision exams, sports physicals, dental services, mental health services, nutrition education and more.
Dr. Krystal Flores-Chavez, public health professor at the Higher Education Center at McAllen, has a long history with OBHP, and each year, she encourages students to volunteer and develop skills in the vital community event.
“I am incredibly proud to be a part of this initiative. Growing up in the Rio Grande Valley, I was a patient that benefited greatly from the dedicated services provided by its volunteers. Their impact inspired me to volunteer in high school,” Flores-Chavez said. “In 2019, I became a faculty site supervisor as a public health professor at Texas A&M University — later joining the university’s OBHP Planning Committee. Through this, I have been able to collaborate with an incredible team to ensure that public health students from our McAllen campus actively participate in this meaningful initiative.
Flores-Chavez said the field-based exercise gives students invaluable skills while serving the communities they call home.
“They are ‘on the ground’ and in direct communication with residents in our region,” she said. “Our goal is to inspire a sense of purpose and passion for service among students, fostering the development of a stronger public health workforce in the region.”
Celina Mendoza ‘27, Azul Alejandro ’27 and Galilea Zuniga ’27, all Flores-Chavez’s students, were among the OBHP volunteers at the Hidalgo County site at Pharr-San Juan-Alamo Early College High School.
Alejandro and Zuniga were assigned to various health stations throughout the week, including physical exams and blood testing.
“It was a very hands-on experience. By observing so closely, we learned so much and have a better understanding of how medical evaluations work,” Zuniga said. “On my first day,, I saw a medical student with a stethoscope check a patient’s heart on the right side of the chest instead of the left side. It was then that I learned about how organs can shift positions, requiring patients to be checked on a different side of the body.”
“We also had a chance to administer a finger prick blood test. We had never done that before,” Alejandro said.
Mendoza assisted with entering patient information at a sports physical exam station.
“I saw a young woman receive a medical diagnosis that she had struggled to get from her personal physician. It was great to see that and to have the opportunity to build trust and have one-on-one interactions with each patient,” Mendoza said.
Mendoza’s goal is to become an Aggie nurse practitioner and provide medical care to patients in the Rio Grande Valley.
“This was a great opportunity to gain hands-on experience and preview what my future could look like,” Mendoza said.
Texas Border Business reported more than 2,500 residents received medical services at the Operation Border Health Preparedness site in Hidalgo County, where the Texas A&M students participated.
“My experience at OBHP confirms what we’ve been told in the classroom, that the Valley is experiencing medical hardships. We saw long lines of people outside the building and upon leaving, many patients told me they still needed more consistent medical attention,” Zuniga said.
She added, “I’m grateful for the opportunity to give back to my community. This event helped many residents; however, there are many more ways we can give back to the Valley and this is one big step toward that goal.”
