PHYSICIAN SPOTLIGHT: Dr. Max C. Butler

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medical practice

BY STACY SHILLING

Any patient that walks into the office of Dr. Max C. Butler will quickly notice that he is more than a doctor. He is also a family friend that listens to the needs of his patients. A Texas native, Dr. Butler is proud to be in the Lone Star State and to serve others in his medical practice for fifty years. In that span of time, he has cared for many patients and in some cases, three or more generations of the same family.>

Dr. Butler graduated from Baylor University in 1951 with a Bachelor of Arts in Chemistry and Minors in Mathematics and Biology. He received his Doctor of Medicine from the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston in 1959. He soon followed his doctorate with an internship at Brackenridge Hospital in Austin.>

Dr. Butler can not remember a time when he did not want to be a doctor. When he attended the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, students were required to participate in a preceptorship with a family physician. Dr. Butler completed his preceptorship in Sinton, TX and enjoyed treating families. Most doctors became family physicians when he completed his education and he considered it a great choice for himself as well.>

His service to others extends beyond the examining room into the community. One of his greatest accomplishments was during his tenure as President of the Texas Medical Association when the Texas Medical Association Foundation was created. This public service organization provides the community with services such as the Hard Hats for Little Kids and scholarships. It also plays a big role in immunizations throughout the state. Dr. Butler has been actively involved in numerous civic organizations such as the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, where he served as Chariman of the Medical Committee from 1981-1984 and is now a Lifetime Vice President. Most of his colleagues agree that Dr. Butler is active in his community. They know when they see him coming, he will be asking for donations to one of the many public service organizations where he is a member.>

Dr. Butler was profoundly influenced by his mentors, Drs. Joe Ainsworth and Hayden McKay. Both men took him under their wings and taught him to be “active in the community and in the medical association.” Both have a history of community service with Dr. McKay serving as former Mayor of Humble and Dr. Ainsworth whom Dr. Butler credits with introducing him to public service through the Houston Livestock Rodeo. In the many years of practicing medicine, Dr. Butler has noticed that a lot of the younger physicians are not active in organized medicine whether it be the American Medical Association or the Texas Medical Association. He is concerned that these new and upcoming physicians are just interested in their own private practices and not the big picture. He urges physicians today to “get involved with the medical community and sit down and talk to your patients. You would be surprised what you would learn from them.” He hopes that physicians will come together to work for the better of society and take back their control of medicine from the government and health insurance companies.>

When it comes to leadership, Dr. Butler envisions it to be a team effort. He gives clear directions and expects the team to work together for the good of the patients. He also delegates authority because he has noticed that when a person is given ownership, they become effective and perform beyond expectations.>

Currently, Dr. Butler is practicing family medicine on a part-time basis. The majority of his patients are elderly and some of them started seeing him early in life since he delivered them into the world. One of his employees is also someone he delivered. In his spare time, Dr. Butler likes to play golf and travel. He and his wife, Barbara, currently enjoy cruising.

“Max Butler is outstanding. He and his partners have taken care of my family for many years and I like my family.”

-Dr. P. Martin Mauk, Gastroenterologist at Memorial City Medical Center

“He has been a great guy for medicine for a long time. In thinking about Max, as a family practitioner, he was fairly interested in what was happening as it affected the patients. In addition, he was very active on the hospital staffs and so forth and had a good relationship with physicians, especially physicians that were new. If they showed an interest in things like the Harris County Medical Society or the Texas Medical Association, he would take a special interest in these people and help them along. One of the things I remember, was when he would be at a physicians meeting, he did not get up often to say something, but when he did, you could sense the emotion that he felt in his voice. You could tell that it came from deep within. I always remember that he cares about his patients and his fellow physicians.“

-Dr. Alan Baum, Ophthalmologist

Current Appointments:

Family Physician, Private Practice
Senior Airmen’s Medical Examiner
Assistant Clinical Professor, Family Practice, The University of Texas Health Science Center in Houston
Former President, Texas State Board of Medical Examiners
Planning Task Force for the comprehensive review of the USMLE program, National Board of Medical Examiner
Former President, Texas Medical Association
Former President, Harris County Medical Society