In Memoriam: David Persse, MD, FACEP, FAEMS
Honoring a Lifetime of Service to Houston, EMS, and Emergency Medicine
The Department of Emergency Medicine joins the Houston community and EMS professionals across the country in mourning the loss of David Persse, MD, FACEP, FAEMS, who passed away on September 28, 2026 following a severe spinal injury sustained while swimming in California.
Watch KHOU 11’s remembrance of Dr. Persse and a look back at his remarkable career below.
For nearly three decades, Dr. Persse was an integral part of Houston’s emergency medical services and public health infrastructure.
He served as the City of Houston’s EMS Physician Director, Public Health Authority, and Chief Medical Officer, helping guide the city through hurricanes, major public health emergencies, and the COVID-19 pandemic. His impact extended well beyond Houston through his leadership, scholarship, mentorship, and service to the broader EMS community nationwide.
Dr. Persse also held a special place within our department as a longtime faculty member of the EMS Fellowship, sharing his extraordinary experience and helping train and mentor future leaders in prehospital and emergency medicine.
His passing comes only months after his retirement from the City of Houston following 29 years of service. Earlier this year, the EMS Physician Director role transitioned to Dr. Kevin Schulz, UTH-EM faculty member and EMS Fellowship Director, who credited Dr. Persse and others with helping prepare him for the responsibility of leading Houston EMS.
“We are tremendously grateful to Dr. Persse for his decades of service to Houston, to communities across the country, to the EMS profession, and especially to our department and trainees. His influence will continue through the systems he helped build, the physicians and first responders he mentored, and the countless lives touched by his work.”
We will miss Dr. Persse dearly and extend our deepest condolences to his family, friends, colleagues, and the entire Houston EMS community.
Thank you for a lifetime of service!