Page 14 - 2023-Jan-Feb-Journal-Final

TCMS 2023 President

Jonathan MacClements, MD

completed additional training in primary care because of the scope and
general surgery and ear, nose, and human interaction involved. I enjoy
throat surgery at the University of the humanity.”
Pretoria in Pretoria, South Africa. His experience in Tyler, TX did
It was during this training that the not end with his family medicine
Kwa-Zulu civil war broke out. internship. He served as the program
MacClements shakes his head with the director and the chairman of family
By Leanne DuPay memory, “The traumatic and barbaric medicine at UT Health Northeast as
wounds I saw and treated were well as the public health authority for
t is said that if you need to restore horrific.” It’s amazing, and fortunate Smith County. He was also president
your faith in humanity, spend some for us, that after being so enmeshed in of the Smith County Medical Society.
Itime with children. Let’s amend the South African medical community, And he’d still be there if it weren’t for
this statement. “If you need to restore that a residency slot in family medicine the offer he could not refuse. “I was
your faith in humanity, spend some at The University of Texas Health honored to be offered the position
time with children or Dr. Jonathan
MacClements.” Why? Passionate His secret weapon? He has a charming British
compassion radiates from him as well
as immense gratitude for his world. accent so everything he says sounds civilized and
He protests injustice when he sees it,
steps up when he’s needed, and makes educated. It’s hard to argue with civilized and educated.
a difference where he can. Don’t get
the wrong idea, he is also humble with Science Center at Tyler would bring of Associate Dean at the new Dell
a capital H (he was very uncomfortable him all the way to Texas. Medical School,” he says smiling.
discussing his many accomplishments). But how did he become Austin has other selling points too. “I
Dr. MacClements was born in interested in medicine in the first love the diversity here. No one asks me
London. Hence the charming British place? “My mother was a nurse and a about my accent (insert laugh). Austin
accent. At age six, his father’s work as pharmaceutical rep. For as long as I is exciting, diverse, cultural, intellectual,
an architect took the family to South can remember, I was visiting doctors’ and has lots of outdoor activities.”
Africa. “We were really happy. But I offices and hospitals with her when I During his presidency,
was there during the apartheid era,” he was on my school holidays,” he explains. MacClements intends to focus on
says. “So, I saw the worst and the best “But honestly, I can’t think of a better diversity, equity, and inclusion issues.
of human behavior.” As a white, male profession. It is so enriching and TCMS is in the process of forming a
citizen of South Africa, he was drafted rewarding knowing I have impacted so new committee focused on this topic.
for a mandatory year of service in the many lives.” “I want to improve the medical
army. His army service included stints It was tough to narrow down his collaboration required to ensure
as a flight surgeon and a medic. choice of specialties. ENT or excellent health care.” As a past
MacClements attended the general surgery were top of the list president in another Texas county, it is
University of Witwatersrand in until he came to the Unites States
Johannesburg, South Africa where and studied family medicine. “I love
he earned his medical degree. He

Scuba diving in Bonaire, a Dutch island in
The MacClements cycle all over the world. the Caribbean Sea. Both MacClements and his wife are licensed pilots.
14 2023 January • February TCMS