Dr. Atkins graduated from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School in Dallas, Texas and performed his internship and residency in internal medicine and his subspecialty training in cardiology at Parkland Memorial Hospital in Dallas, Texas. Dr. Atkins has had a long-term interest in cardiac arrest and the care of acute myocardial infarction having written several papers and chapters on these issues. Dr. Atkins has been medical director of the paramedic system in Dallas County for 27 years having stepped down in 2002. He is chairman of the accreditation body that accredits paramedic training programs (Committee on Accreditation of Emergency Medical Services Professions). He has also been involved with the National Heart Attack Alert Program of the NHLBI for the entire 10 years of the program and has chaired the Access to Care Subcommittee and the Executive Committee of the NHAAP. He is a Professor of Internal Medicine at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School and works as a cardiologist at Parkland Memorial Hospital, Dallas VA Hospital, and Zale-Lipshy Hospital. He has received special awards for his service in the area from the American Heart Association, the Food and Drug Administration, and the NHLBI. A past president of the American Heart Association, Texas Affiliate, Dr. Atkins was named an Honorary Life Member of their Board Directors last year. Dr. Atkins has also served a three-year term as President of the Texas Chapter of the American College of Cardiology, and he served as a member of the Board of Governors for the college.