The creation of the Dr. Deborah L. Mueller Endowment in Surgical Resident Education and Wellness serves as a testament to the legacy left by Dr. Deborah L. Mueller. This endowment was established by her husband, Dr. John J. Doski, with the intention of commemorating her exceptional contributions to the surgical residents of UT Health San Antonio and will support Resident Wellness, Resident Leadership Development, Mentorship of Women in Surgery, and Humanitarian Outreach.
Deborah L. Mueller was raised in a South Carolina household with a military background in the United States Air Force (USAF). She obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from the University of South Carolina in 1988 and was accepted into medical school at Medical University of South Carolina. Upon graduation, Dr. Mueller came to USAF’s Wilford Hall Medical Center in San Antonio Texas for general surgery residency. She then completed a trauma and surgical critical care fellowship in 1998 at The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center and Parkland Memorial Hospital in Dallas.
After fellowship, Dr. Mueller returned to extended active duty as an attending surgeon at Wilford Hall for 9 years. She had a distinguished military career in the USAF, characterized by exceptional leadership, sound judgment, and exemplary humanism. She was recognized as an outstanding surgeon and physician, and she held multiple leadership positions at the hospital, taking on some of the most demanding assignments. Indeed, accepting challenging problems would become a theme spanning Dr. Mueller’s entire career. She was deployed numerous times during her military career, both in support of United States military engagements as well as humanitarian missions across the globe. She trained a generation of Air Force surgeons and retired as a Colonel from the USAF. She then joined the faculty at UT Health San Antonio as Trauma and Critical Care Faculty in 2007.
Dr. Mueller found great satisfaction in providing medical care to highly challenging patients in the trauma room and Intensive Care Unit, especially those with complicated gastrointestinal and abdominal wall injuries. She employed her surgical expertise altruistically when people were in dire need. Dr. Mueller had the perfect mixture of skill, equanimity, and compassion. Her expertise extended to breast surgical oncology, making her a valuable part of the breast cancer teams at Wilford Hall and UT Health when her services were required.
She was selected to participate in the international Homeward Bound women’s leadership program to Antarctica as well as contributed as a mentor for surgical residents and junior attendings. She visited 36 countries and all seven continents. Today I intend to perform acts of kindness, regardless of the location. Her impact on surgeons, students, and other health care professionals has resulted in a lasting heritage in South Texas and worldwide.
Dr. Mueller was an exceptional leader, a beacon of hope and a highly regarded role model. In addition to clinical responsibilities, she took a major interest in improving the wellness of our surgical teams, with emphasis on our dedicated group of surgical residents. She was passionate and perseverant in this goal, both inspirational and pragmatic. She personally visited every call room, implemented improved primary care access for our residents, encouraged political involvement with the Van to Vote, served as an ombudsman for resident physical and emotional health, and led team building activities of all kinds. The residents who worked with her learned from her to be thorough, to be curious, and to never fear a challenge. One young surgeon close to Dr. Mueller summed it up in this way: “she changed my life…she re-framed what it meant to be a surgeon, a leader and a mentor...” Dr. Mueller changed our perspective as a department, and as individuals, making us all healthier and better able to compassionately serve the interests of our patients.
Deborah L. Mueller, MD was a trailblazer in the field of surgery, a master surgeon with exceptional clinical and surgical expertise, astute leadership qualities, and was widely regarded for her mentorship. She had an unwavering and reliable moral compass, and she dedicated her life to purposefully improving the world around her and making a difference.
We pledge to commemorate, pay tribute to, and rejoice in her accomplishments, aspirations, and visions. We must remember that the most effective approach to pay tribute to and honor her life and contributions is to dedicate ourselves to furthering her vision and the teachings she imparted to us: “Today I’m going to do good, wherever it is.”'To engage in kind actions today, regardless of the location.
If you have any questions, please contact Philip Garza, Senior Director of Development, at (210) 567-2598.