Title: 1) Instructor; 2) Professional Photographer
Company: 1) Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service; 2) R. Tom Sizemore Photography
Location: Murfreesboro, Tennessee, United States
Richard Tom Sizemore III, MD, instructor at Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service and professional photographer at R. Tom Sizemore Photography, has been recognized by Marquis Who’s Who Top Engineers for dedication, achievements, and leadership in public safety and instruction.
With nearly five decades of experience, Dr. Sizemore has built a successful career in nationwide preparedness and response, specializing in healthcare and community leadership, and since 2018, he has also distinguished himself as a professional photographer with R. Tom Sizemore Photography. He has been an instructor with Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service since 2020, where he teaches medical and community leadership skills part-time, bringing together professionals from various public safety sectors to foster collaboration. His experience also includes serving as a senior consultant with the VHA Office of Emergency Management at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services from 2014 to 2018 and as senior medical advisor to the principal deputy assistant secretary from 2013 to 2018. He also contributed as a NATO civil emergency planning expert for the Joint Health, Agriculture, and Food Group from 2012 to 2017 and served as the Health and Human Services (HHS) representative in 2013. His roles within the U.S. Department of HHS also include special assistant to the principal deputy assistant secretary for preparedness and response from 2012 to 2013, principal deputy director for preparedness and emergency operations from 2005 to 2012, and deputy assistant secretary in 2012.
Additionally, Dr. Sizemore was the director of operations and preparedness at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs from 2003 to 2005 and served as an officer in the United States Navy from 1968 to 2002. He is also a retired member of the American College of Physician Executives, now the American Association for Physician Leadership, and a fellow of the American Academy of Ophthalmology. He has been recognized with the Photography Grand Prize from Tamron Co. Ltd. in 2024 and earned the rank of Eagle Scout from the Boy Scouts of America in 1966. Laying a solid educational foundation for his successes, he completed coursework in chemistry at Marshall University in 1968, earned a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from the United States Naval Academy in 1972, and obtained a Doctor of Medicine from West Virginia University School of Medicine in 1977. He also holds a certification from the National Preparedness Leadership Initiative at Harvard Kennedy School, earned in 2006, and has completed multiple FEMA courses in preparedness and response.
Dr. Sizemore attributes his success to his upbringing in a small coal-mining town in West Virginia, where he was the oldest of five children. His father, who owned a grocery store, taught him the value of hard work from a young age. His father instilled in him a strong work ethic and the importance of excelling in both school and work. He also credits his creativity and ability to think on his feet as key contributors to his achievements. Looking ahead, he is committed to supporting communities by ensuring they are prepared for natural disasters. Through his training and teaching, he aims to continue providing critical support to law enforcement, fire departments, and other public safety sectors. He also hopes to spend more time with his family, particularly his grandchildren. In offering advice to aspiring professionals, he reflects on a plaque one of his mentors displayed that read, “Bloom where you’re planted.” He also emphasizes that each new assignment is an opportunity to make friends and excel, a strategy that has consistently led to positive outcomes for him throughout his career.
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