Kenneth Mattox, MD, was told by his father: “Son, your life will be very simple if you stop asking questions and forget the word ‘why.’”
Sixty years into his accomplished medical career, the renowned Houston trauma surgeon is still asking any chance he gets.
During the Texas Medical Association’s Leadership Summit in January, Dr. Mattox was awarded the Laurance N. Nickey, MD, Lifetime Achievement Award for exceptional public health service – only the second award bestowed since its creation in 2019.
The exclusivity of the award makes it such an honor to present, says Dallas pediatrician Benjamin Lee, MD. He chairs TMA’s Council on Science and Public Health, which gives out the award. It is not handed out every year. (See “About the Nickey Lifetime Achievement Award.”)
“This award is special. We were excited to present it to Dr. Mattox. He’s truly an exceptional leader in public health,” said Dr. Lee. “It really honors Dr. Nickey, what he did, and who he was.”
In the eyes of the selection committee, Dr. Mattox fit the description.
No blueprint needed
While Dr. Mattox became a world-renowned trauma surgeon, he did not grow up aspiring to be a physician, having originally set out to study music and ministry in college.
“I developed the gift of gab as I grew up,” he said in his trademark deep, booming timbre. “I was always using my voice when I was younger, singing and speaking at my church. It continued over to my adult life.”
While a freshman at Wayland Baptist University, he spoke of plans to go as a missionary to other countries. The required science courses on his curriculum were taken simply “to get them over with.”
Once Dr. Mattox realized his science talents could potentially translate into a more personally fulfilling career, he shifted his focus to attending medical school.
“I liked the challenge of the science courses; I did well in them, earning A’s. I thought to myself, ‘If I could turn this into a career, I could help more people in one day than in a lifetime with what I had planned on doing.’”
After graduating, he sought out a challenging medical school, saying Baylor College of Medicine was the perfect place for him. It not only became Dr. Mattox’s alma mater but also his second home for the rest of his surgical career, where he mentored medical trainees for decades as a distinguished service professor.
Though his renown stretches far and wide, Dr. Mattox has worked at Ben Taub Hospital in Houston since 1973. There he helped develop its emergency and trauma center and served as chief of staff and chief of surgery.
During his 60 years of trauma care in Houston, two specific events stand out for Dr. Mattox.
Learning about a bomb explosion at Poe Elementary School in Houston in 1959 caused Dr. Mattox to focus on ambulance services, emergency department coverage, and trauma care. He says he felt methods to improve outcomes were necessary with an obvious need for changes in training, supervision, resource availability, and other strategic considerations.
“I felt like the ambulance attendants, the staff in emergency rooms, and even the surgeons in the operating rooms were not trained to manage complex emergency conditions, and that we weren’t trained properly. So, we joined with a group of physicians across the nation to change that by developing standards going forward,” said Dr. Mattox, who pioneered state and national emergency standards still used today.
Despite his emphasis on preparation throughout his lengthy career, Dr. Mattox admits nothing could have prepared him for the challenges brought to Houston after Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans. Working among many agencies and leaders in Houston, Dr. Mattox safely facilitated the medical care of 25,000 New Orleans residents who were transported to Texas.
“There was no blueprint. We had to build a city inside of the Astrodome in 12 hours. We needed to get people treatment, get them hydrated, get them fed, and a place to sleep. We would be walking around talking to people who needed help and finding out what they did for a living before the flood in New Orleans. We found jobs for the adults, schools for the children, and clothes, shoes, and medicine for all who needed them.”
Dr. Mattox says his role in helping Hurricane Katrina victims was one of the highlights of his career. While many find situations like those stressful, Dr. Mattox says he flourishes. His own motto: “Go to the heart of danger, and there you will find safety.”
There really is no time off for the surgeon, who describes himself as a cardiothoracic specialist with a hobby of trauma surgery.
“Stress is something I seek out,” he said. “I see stress in situations and hope to find solutions. Knowing I solved an issue is something that keeps me grounded. ... It is such analysis and challenges that keep me grounded.”
His interests outside of medicine include attending church and theater, reading – especially historical and biographical literature – and actively participating in his local rotary club. Another pillar in his life is his family. He has been married to his wife Camella June for 65 years. Together they have one daughter and seven grandchildren.
Shaping the next generation
Most of his free time is spent helping others hone their medical skills.
Dr. Mattox has served in over 30 professional organizations, notably as past president of the American Association for the Surgery of Trauma, the Houston Surgical Society, and the Texas Surgical Society. His name is associated with multiple buildings, awards – including the John P. McGovern Compleat Physician Award – and medical publications, most notably Trauma, which is regarded as the definitive book on this subject, now in its ninth edition.
“Dr. Mattox is quite a force as a surgeon in his community. If you work in public health, you know Dr. Mattox,” said David Lakey, MD, vice chancellor for health affairs and chief medical officer at The University of Texas System and a past commissioner of the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS).
“This award is meant to honor Dr. Nickey’s legacy, and when you look at Dr. Mattox’s career, you cannot just say one thing stands out. It is the collection. Despite that, Dr. Mattox is never too busy to talk to someone about medicine. He always tries to put the needs of the community first and if that means helping a new resident physician with something, he has the time,” said Dr. Lakey, who serves on the award selection committee.
That insatiability to remain curious and never stop learning about medicine along the way is a trait the nominating committee looks for in candidates.
Dr. Nickey set the benchmark of success in public health, says Eduardo Sanchez, MD, who had a personal relationship with Dr. Nickey, whom he called a mentor and godfather of Texas medicine.
“Dr. Mattox’s service and commitment to medicine are what makes him worthy of this [award]. I believe his leadership ability is in line with the type of doctor we want to highlight going forward: someone whose care extends to Texans and beyond,” said Dr. Sanchez. The chief medical officer for prevention for the American Heart Association and past DSHS commissioner also served on the selection committee.
“Dr. Nickey set the bar. This award will remain prestigious and selective; it should be hard [to win it]. It’s an opportunity to distinguish those who have gone above and beyond.”
Although Dr. Mattox has stepped down as chief of surgery and away from administration, he is still busy doing what he loves: teaching and talking about medicine – a desire he says will always be with him.
“As long as I have the cognitive ability to talk, I will always seek a better way to treat patients.”