For 25 years, San Antonio pathologist David N. Henkes, MD, committed himself to the Texas Delegation to the American Medical Association, driving the state’s national leadership and making waves in advocacy.
With his tenure as chair of the delegation concluded, a role he held from 2014 to 2024, the Texas Medical Association bestowed upon Dr. Henkes its highest accolade, the Distinguished Service Award, at TexMed in his home city May 9.
“Past recipients of this award are legends of medicine. To even be mentioned in the same breath as them is a great honor,” Dr. Henkes said at TexMed’s opening session.
Dr. Henkes’ numerous accomplishments at AMA included forming the “Big Five” coalition of state delegations, comprising Texas, California, Florida, New York, and Pennsylvania. Their concerted efforts helped bring Medicare physician payment reform to the top of AMA’s priorities, culminating in the “Fix Medicare Now” campaign.
During Dr. Henkes’ chairmanship, the Texas delegation seated a physician on almost every AMA council; three physicians in the AMA board; and elected an AMA president in Susan R. Bailey, MD, who called him “a dedicated physician leader … and a wonderful friend” in a book of thank-you notes TMA gifted to him as he stepped down from the role.
“The real credit to the work at AMA really goes to the incredible Texas delegation, the most dedicated and hardworking group of individuals I have ever known,” Dr. Henkes said. “I am privileged to even be associated with them, let alone be called their leader. Working with them makes it easy to understand how Texas is the best place in the country to practice medicine.”
In addition to thanking his delegation colleagues, Dr. Henkes, through tears, thanked his wife Danielle, and promised his two grown children, Daniel and Nichole, a summer vacation away from Chicago, where the family often traveled for his AMA meetings.
On the home front, Dr. Henkes chaired TMA’s Board of Trustees and served on several TMA councils and committees. He also served as president of both the Texas Society of Pathologists and the Bexar County Medical Society, each of which has honored him with distinguished service awards of their own.
“Dr. Henkes has been a leader in every aspect of the honored practice of medicine, including a guiding light for organized medicine,” Bexar County Medical Society Immediate Past President Ezequiel “Zeke” Silva III, MD, wrote in his nomination letter for the TMA honor.
TMA President-Elect Jayesh “Jay” Shah, MD, also a Bexar County past president, presented the award to Dr. Henkes, whom he called a friend, guide, and mentor.
“Within TMA, Dr. Henkes distinguished himself through nearly a decade of service on the Board of Trustees, including terms as both vice chair and chair, earning the trust of colleagues across the state for his thoughtful leadership and commitment to advocacy,” Dr. Shah said.
Acknowledging he was “preaching to the choir about the importance of organized medicine,” Dr. Henkes left the opening session audience with a rallying call to continue fighting for patients and the practice of medicine.
“You are the catalyst, you are the people who understand how important it is to be an advocate,” he said. “Spread that fire, spread that passion. Continue this for all physicians and all practice types. The strength of TMA is in its diversity, inclusiveness, and that we are a grassroots member organization.”
Learn more about the Texas Delegation to the AMA and how you can get involved.