Dr. Ackrell graduated from the University of California at Berkeley with undergraduate degrees in Biochemistry and physiology. Upon graduation he entered medical school at the University of Pittsburgh. He completed his medical education and did an internship in internal medicine at the University of Florida/Shands, Jacksonville. Upon completion of his internal medicine internship, Dr. Ackrell remained at the University of Florida Shands/Jacksonville to complete his residency requirements in emergency medicine and was appointed Chief Emergency Medicine Resident his final year. He has also maintained a clinical relationship with Shands/Jacksonville as a clinical instructor in their emergency medicine residency program. Currently, Dr. Ackrell serves as the Director of Emergency Medicine at South Austin Hospital. In addition to his full-time status with South Austin Hospital, his part-time status as an associate Medical Director, he serves as a Team Physician with Florida’s Disaster Medical Assistance Team (DMAT), Team Physician with the State of Florida’s Emergency Response Team and is an NASA Shuttle Launch physician.