Alumni Spotlight:
Thomas Wheeler, M.D. ‘77

Nearly 45 years ago. Thomas Wheeler earned a medical degree from Baylor College of Medicine, where he has remained for almost his entire professional life. Born in St. Louis, Missouri, a career dedicated to patient care was not a surprising outcome for Dr. Wheeler, who is the son of a physician father and a cancer researcher mother. It also didn’t hurt that, while growing up, his neighbors were Baylor faculty members.

“Growing up, I was always very interested in science biology in particular,” said Dr. Wheeler, who served as Chair of the Department of Pathology and Immunology from 2004 to 2019. “One time when I was in high school, I drove to Baylor to see the anatomical specimens I heard were in jars at the anatomy lab. That really piqued my interest.”

Dr. Wheeler’s lifelong enthusiasm for biomedical science led him to obtain a Bachelor of Science degree from Houston Baptist University, after which he applied to every medical school in Texas. “I was accepted to all of them, but Baylor was and still is the best school in Texas, so that’s where I went,” he said.

At Baylor, Dr. Wheeler found an environment he describes as “extraordinary,” with medical students able to have clinical experiences that still are unique among other institutions. “Baylor’s affiliates had 4,000 medical beds, which was more than enough patients to go around [for trainees to observe]. Even today, the number of patients we see is unsurpassed,” he said. “I got to deliver 28 babies as a medical student.”

Dr. Wheeler also discovered in Baylor a health sciences university full of incredible faculty who not only were dedicated and highly skilled but also compassionate. He recalled late Professor Emeritus of Medicine Dr. James K. Alexander in particular. “Sometimes he would sit toward the end of the bed in a reassuring way when talking to a hospitalized patient. He had a remarkable bedside manner. When he went to see indigent patients at Ben Taub, he acted in the same manner as he did with the adult private patients,” said Dr. Wheeler.

After earning his medical degree, Dr. Wheeler undertook a residency in pathology at Baylor and became a faculty member in 1981. In 1989, he went into private practice for two years, a time he calls his “sabbatical.” “I learned a lot about the business, administrative and customer service side of medicine and brought these skills back to Baylor when I returned in 1991,” he said.

Thirty years after his brief sojourn in private practice, Dr. Wheeler has left his mark on Baylor as one of its most esteemed physicians and educators. He also is a tireless advocate for the College and regularly attends the annual Alumni Reunion weekend, in the past offering tours of Baylor and its affiliate medical centers.

“One year, I took alumni to Ben Taub Hospital when we had a short break in the formal program. These alumni were mesmerized and got goosebumps with memories of the events that really shaped who they became as professionals,” said Dr. Wheeler. “This was seared into each of their respective personas, what it meant to be transformed from a college student into a doctor.”

Dr. Wheeler’s gratitude for the training, life experiences and professional fulfillment he found at Baylor as well as his belief in the importance of Baylor’s mission in the future, led him to establish the Wheeler Endowed Fund in Pathology, together with his wife, Becky.

“I’m a big believer in philanthropy. To me, it’s a responsibility to give back something for what you’ve taken. The Jaworski Society is a painless way to give,” chuckled Dr. Wheeler. Membership in the Jaworski Society is open to anyone who includes Baylor in their estate and financial plans.

Reflecting on his life and career, Dr. Wheeler recalled speaking to a fellow physician at lunch 30 years ago: “I told him if someone were to write me a check for every dollar I would make as a physician for the rest of my career—with the stipulation that I could not perform my profession—I wouldn’t accept it. So much of my happiness, self-esteem and satisfaction in helping others, while able to make a good living, would be just too much to cash in. I feel the very same way today.”