Russell Hawkins, M.D.

Biography

Russell Hawkins, M.D., is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Surgery at UT Southwestern Medical Center. He specializes in pediatric surgery, especially extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) and congenital diaphragmatic hernia.

Dr. Hawkins earned his medical degree at the McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston. He completed a residency in general surgery at the University of Florida (UF) Health Shands Hospital; during his residency, he was awarded an NIH T32 grant, completed a surgical research fellowship, and earned a master’s degree in health outcomes and implementation science. He also served as Administrative Chief Resident in his final year of residency. He then gained advanced training through a pediatric surgery fellowship at UF.

Certified by the American Board of Surgery, he joined the UT Southwestern faculty in 2024.

Dr. Hawkins is a member of the American Academy of Pediatrics Section on Surgery, the American Pediatric Surgical Association, and the Association for Academic Surgery. He is an ad hoc reviewer for several academic journals, including PLOS ONE, Critical Care Medicine, and Surgical Infections.

He has presented at numerous conferences, authored several publications in academic journals related to his areas of expertise, and contributed to the book Clinical Scenarios in Surgery: Decision Making and Operative Technique.

In 2023, Dr. Hawkins received the University of Florida College of Medicine’s Department of Surgery Student Teaching Award. He also received the 2022 Outstanding Teaching Resident Award and the Edward R. Woodward Surgical Resident’s Award from the University of Florida College of Medicine, both of which are voted on by all the faculty and other surgical residents.

Personal Note

When he’s not at work, Dr. Hawkins enjoys playing pickleball and tennis, playing piano, watching Formula 1 racing, and spending time with his two young children.