May 9, 2025
San Antonio pathologist David N. Henkes, MD, received the Texas Medical Association (TMA) Distinguished Service Award Friday – TMA’s highest honor. Though he has earned accolades for his career in medicine and leadership, Dr. Henkes arguably cemented his legacy miles away from Texas, at American Medical Association (AMA) meetings.
Dr. Henkes recently concluded his lengthy chairmanship of the Texas Delegation to the AMA House of Delegates policymaking body, a role in which he has served with distinction for more than a decade.
Texas physicians celebrated Dr. Henkes during TexMed, TMA’s annual conference, held this year in San Antonio. TMA President G. Ray Callas, MD, surprised the honoree a while back, however.
“When he told me the news, I had to stop and make sure I heard him correctly,” said Dr. Henkes. “The past recipients of this award are legends of medicine, and to be associated with them is a great honor.”
In addition to his 43-year TMA membership, Dr. Henkes first joined AMA’s Texas Delegation in 2001. Ever since, he has helped bring Texas policy proposals about medicine to the national organization’s house. He became vice chair in 2012 and chair in 2014 – serving there until December 2024. He will spend his 25th year in the delegation helping transition leadership to incoming chair Michelle Berger, MD.
She celebrated Dr. Henkes’ recognition.
“He’s not there to make himself better or move forward or get an elected position, he truly is about the delegation first and foremost,” said Dr. Berger. “He’s clearly cared for the issues of medicine, he’s cared for our delegates, and he’s cared for patients,” the Austin ophthalmologist said.
Dr. Henkes has urged TMA members to join the national association as well. In recent years, the delegation’s size has grown commensurate with Texans’ growing AMA membership. AMA has elected numerous Texas doctors to leadership positions too, a point of emphasis – and pride – for the chair.
“Our delegation has a Texas physician on almost every AMA council and the Board of Trustees,” Dr. Henkes said. “During my tenure as chair, we elected three Texas physicians to the AMA Board and one AMA president.”
Galveston family physician Samuel Mathis, MD, credits Dr. Henkes’ ideas and leadership for those achievements: The delegation’s new mentorship program helps cultivate leaders in the group. The committee “is mentoring the students, the residents, the young physicians, and even those who are new to the delegation … which helped ensure that we were creating a pathway for developing future leaders,” said Dr. Mathis.
“He didn’t put his self-interest first … promoting people ahead of him, because he’s that kind of leader,” said Dr. Callas.
Bexar County Medical Society immediate past president Ezequiel “Zeke” Silva III, MD, nominated Dr. Henkes for the Distinguished Service Award.
“Dr. Henkes has been a leader in every aspect of the honored practice of medicine, including a guiding light for organized medicine,” said Dr. Silva’s nomination letter.
In TMA, Dr. Henkes chaired the Board of Trustees and served in several TMA councils and committees, chairing two. He also served as president of both the Texas Society of Pathologists and the Bexar County Medical Society.
The medical director of clinical pathology for Pathology Associates of San Antonio also is an adjunct clinical assistant professor at the UT Health San Antonio Long School of Medicine. Dr. Henkes also has served in several hospital leadership roles.
He first began practicing as an assistant pathologist in Wichita Falls in 1983, and he has witnessed “incredible changes” in pathology and medicine. “The advances we’ve had in cancer care and other [specialties] are just phenomenal, and it’s just changed so much.”
The Bexar County Medical Society and the Texas Society of Pathologists also have recognized the honoree with distinguished service awards.
“I was fueled by my Texas colleagues and their dedication to Texas medicine,” said Dr. Henkes. “I never imagined or dreamed of such an honor.”
He credits the selfless support of his wife Danielle – who also is active in the Family of Medicine; son Daniel and daughter-in-law Malinda; and daughter Nichole, a resident physician, and her husband Alex Pathos.
TMA’s Board of Councilors ethical policymaking body selects the award honorees.
TMA is the largest state medical society in the nation, representing more than 59,000 physician and medical student members. It is located in Austin and has 110 component county medical societies around the state. TMA’s key objective since 1853 is to improve the health of all Texans.
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