Dr. McMaster is a third generation Kansan that attended Wichita State University, graduating with a BS degree in Chemistry in 1975. He continued his education attending the University of Kansas, receiving a Master of Arts degree in Biochemistry in 1978. He then matriculated to attend the Louisiana State University School of Medicine – Shreveport, receiving his Medical Degree in 1982.
He is residency trained and holds ABMS board certifications in the specialties of Family Medicine, Emergency Medicine, and the subspecialty of Undersea and Hyperbaric Medicine.
Since returning to Kansas in 1985 after completion of an unopposed Family Medicine residency at Louisiana State University-Monroe he has primarily provided direct hospital-based bedside care in both urban and rural settings in Kansas. Throughout his career, he has taught and lectured to many audiences on topics of Emergency Medicine, Occupational, and Medical/Legal/Licensure issues. He has served as the medical director of hospital emergency departments, occupational medicine clinics, as well as a hospital based hyperbaric medicine department.
In 1987, he became the first board certified Emergency Medicine physician to actively practice at either of the two Level I trauma centers in Wichita and/or the State of Kansas. Given his lifelong passion for aviation, in 1987 he received additional training and continues to provide professional services as a Senior/HIMS FAA Aviation Medical Examiner assisting the FAA in the evaluation, treatment, monitoring, and surveillance of pilots. He has received additional training and expertise in the areas of injury, impairment, and causation and continues to utilize his Emergency Medicine training and experience providing expert opinions in both local and federal courts.
In 1987, he was appointed by the then Governor of the State of Kansas to serve as the first physician appointee to the newly established Kansas State Board of Emergency Medical Services.
In 2012, he became the first medical director for the Kansas State Board of Healing Arts, the state agency responsible for licensure of over 34,000 health care providers within the State of Kansas.
He holds faculty appointments with the University of Kansas School of Medicine in Wichita as well as the new Kansas College of Osteopathic Medicine in Wichita.
He resides in Wichita, Kansas with his wife of 42 years Nancy, has three grown children, one of which is a residency trained and board-certified emergency physician, and two grandchildren.
About This Award
The Pamela P. Bensen Trailblazer Award is presented to a current College member for seminal contributions over time to the growth of the College and to the specialty of emergency medicine. The award is named after Pamela P. Bensen, MD, a charter member of ACEP and the first woman resident in emergency medicine (1971).
