Redmond EMS Abstracts.indd - IAFF

Medical Director Course - Three Part Series
He was recently nominated ’Texan of the Year’ and was elected to Mastership in the American
College of Physicians (MACP) for numerous lifetime achievements. Often featured on network
news and prime-time broadcasts, he has been called a ’Mentor to Millions’ and an ’Advocate
for the Injured’. When recently receiving an award in Washington, DC for lifetime achievements
presented by then U.S. Surgeon General Richard Carmona, on behalf of the American College of
Emergency Physicians (ACEP), Dr. Pepe was cited as the most accomplished emergency medical
services physician of our generation.
David Persse, MD, EMT-P, FACEP
Medical Director
Houston Fire Department
600 Jefferson Street, Suite 800
Houston, Texas 77002
832-394-6819
david.persse@houstontx.gov
Background:
Dr. Persse's career in medicine started with ten years experience as a field paramedic and
paramedic instructor in upstate New York and New Jersey. After receiving his pre-med training at
Columbia University in New York, he then attended Georgetown University School of Medicine.
Graduating with honors in emergency medicine from Georgetown, Dr. Persse then completed
residency training in emergency medicine at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center in Torrance, California.
After residency, Dr. Persse completed a resuscitation research fellowship at the Ohio State University.
Dr. Persse was then awarded a grant from the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine and
completed fellowship training in emergency medical services and resuscitation at the Baylor
College of Medicine and the City of Houston Emergency Medical Services program. Following
his EMS fellowship Dr. Persse became the Assistant Medical Director for the Emergency Medical
Services system of Houston. He then moved to California to become the Medical Director of the
Los Angeles County Paramedic Training Institute, and the Assistant Medical Director of the Los
Angeles County EMS Agency.
In 1996 Dr. Persse returned to Houston to assume the role of the Director of Emergency Medical
Services for the City of Houston. In May of 2004 he was appointed by City Council as Houston’s
Public Health Authority. In his role as Public Health Authority Dr. Persse is responsible for the
medical aspects of clinical care quality management, disease control and public health preparedness.
He is also a member of the Board of Directors for the South East Texas Trauma Regional Advisory
Council and the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians.
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