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Dr. David E. Persse

Dr. David E. Persse launched his career in medicine as a field paramedic and paramedic instructor in upstate New York and New Jersey. After receiving his pre-med training at Columbia University, he attended Georgetown University School of Medicine. Dr. Persse then completed residency training in emergency medicine at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center in Torrance, Calif.

Dr. Persse 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 became 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 2004, he was appointed by the Houston 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. Dr. Persse is a professor of medicine and surgery at Baylor College of Medicine and associate professor of emergency medicine at the University of Texas Medical School-Houston.  He is also a tactical physician with the Houston Police S.W.A.T. team.