Faith and family are at the core of what drives Brad Adkins, MD, which may be a good thing since they fit nicely with his career as an OB/GYN at The Woman’s Clinic in Jackson. Being able to witness the miracle of birth and be a part of one of the most important times for a family are just a part of what makes him love his job. Developing lasting relationships with his patients also makes OB/GYN the perfect fit for Adkins.
The Memphis native attributes his decision to pursue medicine to a friend’s father and to his older sister. “It was probably not until high school that I really got to thinking about medicine as a career and had the aspiration to pursue it,” said Adkins. “My friend’s dad was an OB/GYN, of all things, and he had always been such a great role model for me. I really admired him and what he was doing. My sister Beth went to nursing school so that also helped get me considering medical school.”
After graduating from Memphis Prep, Adkins headed to Ole Miss where he majored in English with minors in biology and chemistry. “At the time that was a pretty unconventional path to get to medical school,” said Adkins. “Today it is not that uncommon for an English Major to get in, so maybe I was at the forefront of that trend.”
Adkins returned to Memphis, where he earned his medical degree at the University of Tennessee Center for Health Sciences. While it was an OB/GYN that influenced his decision to pursue medicine as a career, it was not until medical school rotations that Adkins even thought about OB/GYN as a possible specialty. “I realized some specialties did not fit my personality,” said Adkins. “But OB/GYN was fun and exciting. Being there to watch one of God’s miracles take place in addition to the surgical side of things, it was the specialty for me.”
Marrying his college sweetheart, Carol, at the end of medical school meant Adkins was embarking on a whole other adventure with his residency. “Carol and I were both born and raised in the South, so we saw my residency as a chance to experience a different part of the country,” said Adkins. “I looked at a lot of different programs. The program in San Antonio, Texas really stood out for me in terms of the faculty and location. We were blessed that I matched there.”
With his match with the OB/GYN residency program at the University of Texas at San Antonio, Adkins and his new bride embarked on a four-year journey. “It was a wonderful opportunity for us to grow and mature together as a couple. We knew no one there when we moved and had no family nearby,” said Adkins. “As much as we loved it there, as my residency came to an end, we realized we wanted to be closer to family. Our son Conner had been born and both our fathers were facing health issues so we knew it was time to come home.”
As Adkins started interviewing with clinics in his search to find a permanent home, his first interview was with The Woman’s Clinic in Jackson, TN. Since it was close to Memphis, Adkins thought he would check it out along with other clinics and get in a visit with family. What he found was a clinic with great mentors who he wanted to be in practice with in a town that was a great size to raise a family. “The Woman’s Clinic was the right fit for me and my growing family. I could not have asked for better mentors than Drs. Lewis, Swindle and Webb,” said Adkins.
Shortly after joining The Woman’s Clinic in August 1996, the Adkins welcomed their second child, a son named Jonathan. Their family would expand again to include a daughter Catherine and then one more son, Jacob. All four kids are roughly two years apart in age. Family is a priority for Adkins. “When I am not working, I put family first,” said Adkins. “I love to spend time with my kids. We enjoy sports be it watching them or participating in them. I have been lucky enough to get to coach each one in basketball.”
An avid sports enthusiast, Adkins admits he has a competitive side that he has to feed as much as he can. “I played football and basketball in high school. I used to play basketball three days a week as an adult at 5:30 a.m.,” he said. “As I got older I had injuries and surgeries so I had to find something else to get exercise. About ten years ago I started swimming again just to get back in shape. That led me to venturing into triathlon. I took a break from those last year but hope to get back into it again.”
In addition to pushing himself physically, Adkins likes to also continually grow his faith. For three years he has found a unique way to do both while also helping cancer patients through Wings Ride to Rosemary benefiting the Wings Cancer Foundation. “The ride was started by some guys in Memphis and a friend of mine told me about it. I thought it sounded awesome. A 500 mile ride over five days from Memphis to Rosemary Beach that raised money to help cancer survivors,” said Adkins. “I decided to ask our clinic administrator, Jon Ewing, to join me and help me train for it. He said yes and we have done it the past three years in October.”
Initially Adkins says he thought the ride, which he knew would push him physically, would be quite an accomplishment. “The impact this has had on me extends far beyond physical,” he said. “The guys on this ride are strong men of faith that have really impacted me. It recharges my batteries and encourages me to be a better husband, father and doctor.”
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