Chief of Staff
Biography
Dr. Travis King has spent twenty years practicing the kind of medicine that follows families through every chapter of life. Some of the babies he delivered early in his career still sit in his exam rooms today, now bringing children of their own. For Dr. King, that continuity is the whole point. “The relationships I build with patients,” he says, “mean more to me than the medicine ever will.”
Roots in Rural Texas
Dr. King grew up on a small cotton farm in Guthrie, Texas, in King County, and graduated from Childress High School. Rural west Texas isn’t just where he’s from; it’s where he chose to stay. “I grew up in rural west Texas and can’t imagine living anywhere else,” he says. That commitment to rural communities was recognized in 2013, when he was named Texas Rural Physician of the Year.
Education & Training
Dr. King earned bachelor’s degrees in both chemistry and biology from Eastern New Mexico University before attending medical school at Texas Tech University, where his classmates elected him class president all four years. He completed his residency in family medicine at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, where he was honored as Resident of the Year.
He is board certified by the American Academy of Family Physicians and holds certifications in Advanced Trauma Life Support, Advanced Cardiac Life Support, and Pediatric Advanced Life Support. He is a member of the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Society, the American Academy of Family Physicians, the American Medical Association, and the Texas Medical Association.
At a Glance
| Specialty | Family Medicine |
| In Practice | 20 years, since 2006 |
| Medical School | Texas Tech University |
| Residency | Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center |
| Board Certification | American Academy of Family Physicians |
| Clinical Interests | Pediatrics, urgent & emergent care, dermatology, orthopedics & sports injuries |
Clinical Expertise
As a family physician, Dr. King cares for patients of all ages, with special interests in pediatrics, urgent and emergent care, dermatology, and orthopedics and sports injuries. His services include well-child visits and routine vaccinations, including newborn and infant care, as well as complete care for most skin lesions, including cryotherapy, shave biopsies, punch biopsies, excisional biopsies, and rotational flaps.
He also provides joint injections and aspirations for common orthopedic problems, casting and splinting for most non-operative fractures and dislocations, and basic and advanced suturing to repair both simple and complex lacerations.
In addition to his clinical work, Dr. King serves as an associate professor in the Department of Family Medicine at Texas Tech University. Teaching students and mentoring those early in their healthcare careers remains one of his passions. During his years in private practice in Plainview, the community voted him both best pediatrician and best family physician.
His Approach to Care
Dr. King’s philosophy of care is simple: treat every patient the way he would want himself or his own family treated. He believes in seeing the big picture, recognizing that physical health, emotional health, and spiritual health are deeply connected, and that focusing too narrowly on one issue can mean missing its impact on the whole person.
“I hope and pray that patients feel that I genuinely care about them. I honestly do,” he says. “I want them to feel like their concerns are taken seriously, and that I’m trying to understand their perspective.”
His faith guides that approach. A Christian above all else, Dr. King keeps a small mirror his wife gave him years ago, inscribed with a poem that shapes how he practices each day:
“Lord, as I treat my patients, help me to be wise; Let me see their problems through Your discerning eyes. Guide me, Lord, and use me in everything I do, for You’re the Great Physician, and I long to be like You.”
— Robin Fogle
Why Family Medicine
Dr. King chose family medicine for the diversity of caring for patients of all ages — especially babies. The specialty has allowed him to grow alongside his patients, watching families expand across generations and helping them navigate healthcare at every stage. Early in his career, he loved the challenge of reaching the right diagnosis and finding the right treatment. He still does. But today, it’s the personal relationships with patients and their families that he treasures most.
Beyond the Clinic
Dr. King and his wife, Nicole, have four children, and he stays as involved as possible in their lives and activities. He is active in First Baptist Church, where he works with a variety of ministries.
A lifelong Texas Rangers fan who “bleeds baseball,” he’s also a die-hard Florida State Seminoles football fan (Go Noles!). On a day off, you might find him at the ballpark in Arlington cheering on the Rangers, or sitting in a tiny chair in his living room, having a make-believe tea party with his daughter. He enjoys woodworking in his shop when time allows, and his patients might be surprised to learn he’s a self-described audiophile and electronic gadget nerd who owns “more speakers than any human should.”
Travis Glen King, M.D. — Chief of Staff · Director of Emergency Department
Contact Info
Office:
806-995-4122
Facility/Office:
Swisher Memorial Healthcare System/Tulia Rural Health Clinic
Education:
Bachelor’s Degree in Biology and Chemistry from Eastern New Mexico University.
Medical degree at Texas Tech University.
Residency:
2009 – Texas Tech University Health Sciences Centers Department of Family and Community Medicine.
Certification:
American Board of Family Medicine and also has certifications in Advanced Trauma Life Support, Neonatal Trauma Life Support, and Pediatric Advanced Life Support.