Patricia and William L. Watson Jr., M.D. Award for Excellence in Clinical Medicine

This award, UT Southwestern’s highest honor in clinical care, recognizes a UT Southwestern clinician who exemplifies excellence in patient care and is a leader in advancing clinical innovation. It honors a faculty member who has had a profound impact on patients, students, trainees, and colleagues through the quality of his or her clinical work.

See distinguished past winners

The 2024 Winner:

Miguel A. Vazquez, M.D.

Professor of Internal Medicine
Clinical Chief, Division of Nephrology

In an era of specialized medicine, Dr. Miguel Vazquez is a standout.

A “true all-rounder,” he has demonstrated excellence in a diversity of roles and his expertise transformed the growth of nephrology at UT Southwestern Medical Center. Although responsibilities to patients with acute kidney injury, kidney transplants, dialysis, and general renal issues rarely overlap, there’s no doubt Dr. Vazquez’s leadership and skills have had a transformative impact across the board.

As his nominator wrote, “We are hard-pressed to identify a more humble, more ethical, or more service-oriented person than Miguel Vazquez.”

Dr. Vazquez has dedicated the entirety of his medical career to UT Southwestern since joining the faculty in 1992. From helping underserved communities to pioneering valuable research to influencing national health organizations – the scope of his achievements over the past 30-plus years could fill a textbook.

Currently the Clinical Chief of UT Southwestern’s Nephrology Division, Dr. Vazquez has also served as Medical Director of Transplantation at Parkland Health and UT Southwestern, Medical Director of the UTSW Outpatient Dialysis Unit, and Medical Director of Inpatient Dialysis at the former St. Paul University Hospital. As such, he helped grow the nephrology program significantly by building a wide referral base and expanding access to lifesaving health care.

Around 2014, when Parkland’s Emergency Department (ED) was experiencing peak volumes of under- and uninsured patients in need of emergent dialysis, Dr. Vazquez, as the hospital’s Chief of Service of Nephrology, quickly triaged the situation and helped devise a solution. At a time when the ED was buckling under the strain on resources and staff, he partnered with other hospital leaders to dedicate a service line to caring for the flow of uncovered patients with end-stage kidney disease.

After stabilizing the number of cases in the ED, Parkland was able to work with a local nonprofit to provide dialysis care to eligible Dallas County residents. Dr. Vazquez’s role in assisting people from overlooked and marginalized communities is a case study in true patient advocacy.

Today, he has not slowed his work in the slightest.

“Dr. Vazquez’s outstanding dedication to patient care is further exemplified by his unwavering commitment to urgent coverage of inpatient services, even during weekends and nights,” his nominator wrote. “As a true leader, he consistently volunteers to provide care during these critical times, demonstrating his selflessness and dedication to his patients’ well-being.”

Recently, he played an instrumental part in launching several new clinical services at William P. Clements Jr. University Hospital (CUH) – including an onconephrology service aimed at helping cancer patients with kidney disease; a transition-of-care service to better educate and prepare people diagnosed with advanced kidney disease; and a new home-based hemodialysis modality to elevate the care and comfort of patients.

With his support, nephrology programs at Parkland and CUH have expanded; CUH launched a dedicated ICU-Nephrology service, and Parkland opened a peritoneal dialysis unit focused on the care of underinsured patients. Dr. Vazquez’s high standards and strategic vision also played a part in the creation and expansion of nephrology overflow services to improve access to kidney care at UTSW.

In addition to clinical care, Dr. Vazquez is an accomplished researcher. He recently completed a 10-year term working with the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Pragmatic Trials Collaboratory, a federal initiative that supports the design and implementation of large-scale clinical trials, and he was appointed to a permanent position with the Healthcare Delivery and Methodologies Integrated Review Group, which is part of the Center for Scientific Review at NIH.

He was the Principal Investigator of a study on improving chronic disease management with an advanced digital platform, Parkland Intelligent e-Coordination and Evaluation System (PIECES). Supported by federal funding, the study evaluated ways to mobilize tools in the electronic health record and pharmacy support to improve patient care. It has become a national model for how to include underrepresented research participants in innovative health care delivery methods.

Dr. Vazquez is also the co-Principal Investigator of the Kidney Precision Medicine Project, a national consortium whose goal is to better understand mechanisms mediating acute kidney injury and chronic kidney disease. With credit to Dr. Vazquez, the recruitment site at UT Southwestern boasts high enrollment numbers and is one of the few to reach out to underrepresented patient populations.

“Dr. Vazquez’s commitment to excellence extends beyond the institution, as he frequently presents his research and insights at regional, national, and international meetings,” his nominator wrote in a letter on behalf of Dr. Vazquez’s many supporters. “By engaging and leading in these influential bodies, Dr. Vazquez has ensured that his relentless focus on patient well-being reaches far beyond the confines of his own practice, positively influencing the field of nephrology and benefiting kidney patients nationwide.”

While attending events at prestigious institutions and venues such as the American Society of Nephrology (ASN) and the NIH, Dr. Vazquez not only makes significant contributions to the body of advanced clinical knowledge, but he also represents the best that UT Southwestern has to offer.

Praised as a role model by others, he served on the Medical School admissions committee for a total of 13 years and played an instrumental role in molding UT Southwestern into a top medical school in the state of Texas.

“Dr. Miguel Vazquez has had an exceptional impact on patients, families, and fellow clinicians,” his nominator said. “His exemplary leadership, tireless commitment to patient care, and extensive expertise have garnered him immense respect and admiration from his colleagues.”

In his words: Receiving the Watson Award is humbling. Reflecting on my time at UT Southwestern, I realize how fortunate I have been to learn, grow professionally, and practice in an institution that supports and values the goal of providing the best possible care to all patients. It is a privilege to collaborate closely with a team of excellent colleagues and dedicated health care professionals in our hospitals, clinics, and dialysis units. I want to thank my wife, my children, and my parents for all their support over many years. My colleagues, from my mentors to co-workers to trainees, make the journey rewarding. Thank you to our patients and their families for their trust and for reminding us that every patient interaction and all that we do as a team makes a difference, one patient at a time.