Texas Medical Board Still Looking for an Executive Director

New Executive Director - Notes from the June 2008 Texas Medical Board Meeting

The search for a new Executive Director is in full swing. Board members were assigned various other independent Medical Boards in other states to determine what kind of Executive Director would work best. Of all the Medical Boards in the country only 24 are Independent and of those only two Executive Directors are MDs. The rest of the Executive Directors are individuals with experience in administration. Soon after the Board meeting four candidates will be interviewed. These candidates include a pair of MD/JDs, an MD, and a JD. The JD candidate is the current Director of Enforcement Mari Robinson. She is also the current interim Executive Director.

My Thoughts: My money is that Mari Robinson will be named as the new Executive Director. This goes against history as the Board has historically been run by a physician. This will also mean, by law, the Board will need to hire a medical director to assist the Executive Director. However, this does not have to be a full time job. Time will tell if I am right or if I am wrong.

- Jon Porter