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By Alex Branch

Paul S. Saenz, DO, a graduate of the Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine and Team Physician for the San Antonio Spurs, has been named the 2019 recipient of the Mary E. Luibel Distinguished Service Award by UNT Health Science Center in Fort Worth.

He will receive the award at the UNTHSC White Coat Ceremony on Friday, Aug. 23.

“Dr. Saenz is an outstanding physician who has displayed the highest character and integrity as he advances the field of osteopathic medicine,” said UNTHSC President Michael R. Williams, DO, MD, MBA. “He lives every day by the decree that service to others is life’s highest calling, and we are proud to call him an alumnus.”

Dr. Saenz, who is board certified in family practice and sports medicine, is the founding partner of Sports Medicine Associates of San Antonio, a leading provider of orthopedic and athletic medicine services.

In addition to the Spurs, Dr. Saenz has served as Team Physician for St. Mary’s University and as Chief Medical Officer for boxing at the Centennial Olympic Games in Atlanta; USA Pentathlon at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece; USA Track and Field at the World Indoor Championships in Istanbul, Turkey; and USA Men’s Basketball at the 2012 Olympic Games in London.

An adjunct faculty member of TCOM, he also serves as an Associate Clinical Professor at The University of Incarnate Word School of Osteopathic Medicine and at the University of Texas at San Antonio Medical School.

Dr. Saenz was inducted into the National Hispanic Heritage Hall of Honor in 2015 in recognition for his achievements in athletics and education. He has been selected numerous times as one of Texas’ “Super Doctors,” by Texas Monthly magazine.

When he arrived in San Antonio following a residency in Phoenix and a sports medicine fellowship in Seattle, he became that city’s first primary care sports medicine specialist. A school, Dr. Paul S. Saenz Junior High, is named after him in San Antonio.

Dr. Saenz has been honored as a distinguished alumnus at his alma maters, Central Catholic High School and St. Mary’s University. He remains active in the education of medical professionals by speaking regionally and nationally on a variety of sports medicine topics.

The Mary E. Luibel Distinguished Service Award, established in 1993, is given to individuals who have demonstrated exceptional personal commitment and long-standing dedication to the advancement of osteopathic medicine. Mary Luibel was the wife of TCOM co-founder George J. Luibel, DO.

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