William R. McKenna, MD started his private medical practice in Allergy, Asthma and Immunology in the Rio Grande Valley (RGV), specifically Harlingen, Texas in 1982. He is double Board Certified, Internal Medicine and Allergy Immunology.
Dr. McKenna visited several Texas sites towards the conclusion of medical training before starting private practice and decided to start his medical practice in the RGV as there were no Board Certified Allergy Immunologists. He felt as a “pioneer” and has continued his medical practice since. His practice is patient focused and provides the highest level quality health care in his specialty.

Dr. McKenna has held several medical leadership positions. For many years he was elected to the Board of Directors and is a past President of the Texas Allergy, Asthma and Immunology Society, our state specialty society. Following that, he was also elected to a position with our national organization, the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology as Regional Governor serving as a liaison between seven state’s specialty societies and our national organization. Dr. McKenna also started, with Valley Baptist Medical Center’s organizational help, an Asthma Support Group. Through it’s educational monthly meetings for parents and school aged Asthmatics, plus the sharing of information among parents and their children, positive impacts resulted. Studies noted those who attended most of the meetings in a year had better control of their Asthma, less urgent Dr. visits, ER visits and hospitalizations.

Dr. McKenna is also very involved with training our next generation of doctors. In addition to presenting didactic topics in his specialty, residents frequently rotate through his office, both from UTRGV’s Internal Medicine program and VBMC’s Family Practice program. Doctor McKenna has a research interest in Honey Bee stings (envenomation) and is regarded as the national expert on the medical aspects of patients with multiple and massive bee stings, most notably by Africanized Bees, aka. “killer bees.” He has authored numerous medical journal articles and book chapters on this topic and his articles have been referenced in the prestigious New England Journal of Medicine.

Dr. McKenna has been recognized with peer elected awards including “Superdoc” designation in Texas Monthly magazine and “Best Doctors in America” for multiple consecutive years.

His medical practice philosophy is patient centered quality health care and he says the greatest joy is improving patient’s quality of life.