About

OH…IO State Buckeye • Athlete • Emergency Medicine Physician • Adventurer • Husband • Student Mentor • Father • Man of Faith • Educational Program Developer • World Traveler • Leader • Philanthropist • Educator

Many of these descriptive titles can be used to describe Kris Brickman and his vast personal and career pathways that have spanned the past thirty-plus years; that said, today (and throughout his current adventure) we’re highlighting both philanthropist and educator. 

Dr. Brickman is taking a temporary leave from his daily administrative hustle in Dean’s Office at The University of Toledo College of Medicine & Life Sciences, leaving all programming in the capable hands of his fellow colleagues, while he sets out on an epic personal journey to summit Mount Everest, in hopes not only to raise funds for international programming, but to foster awareness for our partners in need. 

Dr. Brickman was born in Columbus Ohio and raised in Lexington Ohio where his father had a veterinary practice. He attended Lexington High School (1974) where he played football, baseball, and wrestled. Dr. Brickman started his college career at Defiance College where he played football, later transferring to The Ohio State University where he wrestled, graduating with a Bachelor of Biological Sciences degree in 1979. After undergrad, Dr. Brickman attended Wright State University College of Medicine for medical school. From there, he completed his internship and one year of surgical residency at Miami Valley Hospital in Dayton Ohio. He then moved to Toledo Ohio where he completed his Emergency Medicine Residency at St. Vincent Medical Center (1987). 

Dr. Brickman met his wife Beth, who was an ER nurse, during his residency at St. V’s. They got married in 1987 and settled down in Sylvania Ohio where they still live today. They have four children, Kelsey (32), Kendall (29), Cameron (26), and Cory (25). Dr. Brickman loves spending time with his family more than anything and jumps at any moment he can to be with them. He has found a passion in traveling and, through work and his own family trips, he has seen much of the world. 

Dr. Brickman began serving as a wrestling coach for St. John’s Jesuit (SJJ) in 1985 and, since then, he has been heavily involved in all of their athletic programming, serving as high school team physician. Dr. Brickman was inducted into the SJJ Hall of Fame (2016) and currently serves as an active member on their board. 

Dr. Brickman started Northwest Ohio Emergency Services in 1989 where he contracted with community hospitals to provide them with emergency physicians. From there, he started working with Medical College of Ohio (MCO), now the University of Toledo Medical Center (UTMC), where he became the Medical Director of the Emergency Department in 1991 and remained in this role for over 25 years. 

In 2009, Dr. Brickman became the Founding Chairman of the Department of Emergency Medicine, developing the Emergency Medicine Residency program (he held this position until 2018). In that same year, Dr. Brickman founded The University of Toledo College of Medicine & Life Sciences’ Global Health Program and he still serves as acting director. Dr. Brickman has always had a passion for global health and his mission (that he so eloquently and informally presented to the then sitting University President in the back of a humid van trekking across India on a University-sponsored trip to one the University of Toledo’s affiliate partner sites) was to be able to incorporate hands-on, clinical learning experiences for medical students/residents/faculty in global medicine and public health throughout the world so they could experience global health firsthand, allowing them to best serve diverse populations. UT Global Health programming and participation has grown exponentially throughout the past 13 years, offering thousands of medical students, residents, and faculty hands-on participation in global medicine through participation in: 1) clinical rotations abroad at over 13 host locations throughout Africa, Asia, and the Middle East, 2) recurring faculty-led, team-based medical missions in Honduras, Haiti, Guatemala, and the Philippines, and 3) international joint conferences, research, and programming with the University’s international affiliate partners. Dr. Brickman’s global and community public health outreach efforts were recognized in 2015 when we won the Jefferson Award.   

Dr. Brickman served as UTMC Chief of Staff from 2012-2014. He currently serves as Professor of Emergency Medicine, Dean of Innovation and Simulation, Chief Physician Executive, and Global Health Director at the University of Toledo College of Medicine & Life Sciences. He also serves as the Medical Director of 4 Skilled Nursing Facilities throughout the Toledo area. 

Throughout many years of paying it forward and putting others before himself, Dr. Brickman has finally decided to set out on his own personal journey to summit Mount Everest, a dream he has been dreaming for decades.