Michael Emmett, MD, MACP: a conversation with the editor

Michael Emmett, MD, and William C. Roberts, MD

From the Department of Internal Medicine (Emmett) and Baylor Heart and Vascular Center (Roberts), Baylor University Medical Center, Dallas, Texas.

Corresponding author: Michael Emmett, MD, Department of Internal Medicine, Baylor University Medical Center, 3500 Gaston Avenue, Dallas, Texas 75246 (e-mail: m.emmett@baylordallas.edu).

Michael Emmett was born in a displaced persons camp near Linz, Austria, on October 29, 1945, and he and his family came to Philadelphia 4 years later. After attending public schools, he went to Pennsylvania State University, graduating magna cum laude in 1967, and then to Temple University School of Medicine in Philadelphia, graduating in 1971 first in his class. In medical school he received 4 major awards and was president of the local chapter of the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Society. His internship and 2 years of medical residency were at the Yale-New Haven Medical Center in New Haven, Connecticut, and his 2-year fellowship in nephrology was at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania.

After considering a number of academic and nonacademic offers, in July 1976 Dr. Emmett joined Dallas Nephrology Associates and the staff of Baylor University Medical Center (BUMC) in Dallas. He rapidly became very involved in teaching the medical residents and nephrology fellows. Simultaneously, he attended the weekly nephrology conferences at The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center and became friends with Dr. Donald Seldin, who was then chairman of medicine there. He and Dr. Seldin rather quickly started collaborating on manuscripts. In 1986, Dr. Emmett became director of the Division of Nephrology/Metabolism of the Department of Internal Medicine, the Tompsett Professor of Medicine, director of the Nephrology Laboratory, and medical director of the Ruth Collins Diabetes Center, all at BUMC. In 1988, he became clinical professor of medicine at The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. In the early 1990s, he was president of the medical staff and president of the medical board and executive committee of the medical board of BUMC. Since July 1994, he has been a member of the American Board of Internal Medicine Subspecialty Board in Nephrology. In January 1996, Dr. Emmett became chairman of the Department of Internal Medicine at BUMC and gave up most of his private practice. In March 2001, Dr. Emmett was honored by the designation of mastership in the American College of Physicians, joining a select group of 300 US physicians.

Dr. Emmett has published at least 30 articles in peer-reviewed medical journals, 11 chapters in various medical books, and 21 abstracts. His articles on the anion gap and mixed acid-base disorders, published following his nephrology fellowship, have become classics and brought him wide recognition. His studies on chronic phosphate depletion and phosphorus binders also have brought him recognition. He and his wife, Rachel, have 3 children: their daughter, Mira, is an assistant district attorney in Atlanta; Daniel is presently interning in internal medicine; and Joshua is building an Internet music company. Dr. Emmett is an outstanding chairman of medicine, a magnificent teacher, a medical scholar, and a man who cares deeply for his fellow human beings.

( BUMC Proceedings 2001;14:410-421)