Thomas Mayes, M.D., M.B.A.
Fellowship Year(s): 2015-2016
Profession: Physician
Specialty: Pediatrics-Subspecialty
Fellowship Details:
UT Health San Antonio
House Committee on Ways and Means (Majority)
Texas
At time of Fellowship
Thomas Mayes is a Texas pediatrician who was in the 2015-2016 cohort of RWJF Health Policy Fellows. He served as professor and chair of the Department of Pediatrics at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio (UT Health San Antonio) and the Paul L. Foster School of Medicine at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso. He has practiced pediatric critical care medicine for 30 years in the U.S. Air Force and at the two Health Science Centers. After joining the UT Health faculty in 1994, he served in a number of key leadership positions in the School of Medicine and affiliated hospitals, including interim dean of the Medical School, associate dean for clinical affairs, chief executive officer of the faculty practice plan, and physician-in-chief of CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Children’s Hospital in San Antonio.
In addition to his work on the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s National Advisory Committee for the Improving Asthma Care in Children program, he has served on or chaired the board of directors of several non-profit organizations focusing on health care, community leadership development, and assisting children with congenital heart disease from developing countries. Mayes’ advocacy work for children has included service on the Texas Department of Health and Human Services Frew Advisory Committee to assist in allocating strategic initiative funds to improve medical and dental access for children enrolled in Medicaid as well as creating the state’s first Medical-Legal Partnership promoting better child health through legal representation.
Mayes received his BS from Baylor University, MD from Georgetown University School of Medicine, and MBA from the University of Texas, San Antonio. He has been inducted into the Phi Beta Kappa and Alpha Omega Alpha honor societies. He completed his residency in pediatrics at Wilford Hall USAF Medical Center in San Antonio and his fellowship in pediatric critical care medicine at Texas Children’s Hospital/Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. He was certified by the American Board of Pediatrics in both disciplines and a fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics and the College of Critical Care Medicine prior to his retirement from clinical practice in 2020.
Current Info:
Emeritus Professor of Pediatrics
UT Health San Antonio
Since Fellowship:
Dr. Tom Mayes is a retired pediatric intensivist and a lung transplant recipient. A Texan, Tom has received degrees from Baylor University, Georgetown University School of Medicine and the University of Texas San Antonio College of Business. In 1994, after completing active US Air Force service as a pediatrician, he joined the pediatric faculty at UT Health San Antonio. In addition to clinical practice, Tom had a number of key leadership roles at UT Health including 14 years service as pediatric department chairman and a year as interim dean of the medical school.
After completing the RWJF Health Policy Fellowship in 2016, he retired from UT Health and moved to New York City. From there he continued part-time clinical practice as a faculty member of Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso and in 2018 was appointed pediatric department chairman. Dr. Mayes continually maintained board certification in pediatrics and pediatric critical care medicine and was a fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American College of Critical Care Medicine until retirement in 2019.
Fibrotic lung disease diagnosed during the health policy fellowship worsened at the end of 2019 leading to a double lung transplant in February 2021 preceded by 105 days on ECMO in San Antonio. Current interests include transplant advocacy and organ recovery systems.