James M. Williams, DO, MS, FACEP (Texas)

Current Professional Positions: attending emergency medicine physician, Covenant Medical Center, Lubbock, Texas; clinical assistant professor, Texas Tech University Health Sciences School of Medicine, Lubbock; physician quality review board, committee member, Covenant Medical Center, Lubbock; attending emergency medicine physician, Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Southlake, Dallas; advisor, clinical and player development, US Lacrosse
Internships and Residency: surgery internship, general surgery, Brooke Army Medical Center, Fort Sam Houston, Texas; residency, Brooke Army Medical Center
Medical Degree: DO, Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (1991)

I am uniquely qualified to serve and complement the Board with my proven leadership, integrity, and commitment.

Starting with more than nine years of military service and continuing nonstop since then, I have successfully served my fellow doctors, patients, and communities in numerous leadership positions. My military experience included tours in Germany and Bosnia, where I served deployed troops and played a pivotal role in village outreach. A few of my leadership positions over the past couple of decades include serving as army commander; Texas College of Emergency Physicians President; co-chair of a five-hospital quality review committee; clinical professor; hospital chief of staff; and board member of my family’s church, children’s school, and local businesses.

Like you, I am a practicing emergency physician who serves our patients in the pit, days, nights, weekends, and holidays. This provides us credibility when speaking with legislators and stakeholders, and that’s one of the many reasons I am very active with both the state and federal legislatures, advocating on behalf of our doctors and patients. Additionally, I have served as a medical and health consultant to local and national media, communicating our service message to positively promote our profession.

I recently fought on behalf of emergency physicians in Texas to maintain our tort reform. I coordinated efforts of the Texas Medical Association, TMLT (insurance carrier for most Texas physicians), TAPA (a patient and physician access advocacy group), the American College of Emergency Physicians, and local hospitals to file amicus briefs on their behalf against plaintiff attorneys in New Mexico who argued care given in Texas is subject to New Mexico tort laws. This is a critical case in supporting patient access to care and has implications nationally.

It is also important to note that I will bring geographic diversity to the Board. While most current Board members and other candidates live on the east and west coasts, I am in Texas and can provide a voice for our central and southern states.