Emergency Health Sciences professor lived a life of service

By Kate Hunger 

Emergency Health Sciences Assistant Professor Craig A. Manifold, DO, FACEP, FAAEM, FAEMS, passed away on Sept. 20.

Manifold, a national leader in emergency medicine and emergency medical services, was also the medical director of the National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians.

“Dr. Manifold was a valued faculty member of our school,” said School of Health Professions Dean and Professor David C. Shelledy, Ph.D., RRT, FASAHP, FAARC. “He was an extremely talented and productive person, well recognized as a leader in emergency medical sciences.”

Manifold served as the physician medical director for multiple EMS agencies in Texas, medical director of the National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians (NAEMT), and past medical director of the San Antonio Fire Department. He also served as a flight surgeon in the Texas Air National Guard and commander for the 149th Medical Group of the Texas Air National Guard, retiring last year as a brigadier general (BVT).

Manifold held a number of leadership positions with the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP), said Lance Villers, Ph.D., professor, and chair of the Department of Emergency Health Sciences.

“Earlier on the day of his sudden passing, Craig was on the scene assisting the EMS crew with a lengthy out-of-hospital resuscitation and then remaining with the family to provide counseling and comfort,” Villers wrote in a letter to the colleagues, faculty, and students. “Dedication and compassion were his routines.”

Manifold regularly ended conversations by asking the same question. 

“He was actually well known for concluding every phone call and conversation with, ‘And what can I do for you?’ Villers said. “That’s exactly how he lived. He was in service to other people.”