As a combat medic in the Air Force, Troy Houston spent 12 years on active duty working in emergency rooms and intensive care units around the world. It was a good fit for an avid athlete who originally thought he might be a physical therapist.
Houston deployed during Operation Desert Storm and again for Operation Enduring Freedom in Iraq in 2009. Along the way, he began college course work needed to become a physician assistant (PA). “The Air Force utilizes a lot of PAs. I learned about them through the physicians and PAs I worked with at Wilford Hall in San Antonio.”
The Air Force released Houston from active duty to the Reserves so he could complete the PA program at UT Southwestern in Dallas. He’s been in the Air Force Reserve for the past 24 years. “I’m a Lt. Colonel now and serve as a flight medicine-trained PA,” he says. “I ensure our airmen and pilots are medically fit for deployment at the Joint Reserve Base Naval Air Station in Fort Worth.
It’s no surprise that Houston’s experiences as a medic have served him well as a physician assistant.
After graduating from UT Southwestern, he worked in internal medicine and family practice for 13 years, while also becoming a certified personal trainer through the Cooper Clinic in Dallas. In 2011, a recruiter tapped Houston to help a group of North Texas urologists set up a Men’s Health Center. “I had experience establishing Health and Wellness Centers at Air Force facilities and bases across the country,” Houston explains. “They wanted to use the same approach to assist men struggling with erectile dysfunction, low testosterone, fitness, diet and other male-related health issues.”
It was during this time that Houston first began working with Dr. Chuang, Dr. Chan and other physicians who are now part of Urology Partners of North Texas (UP). He’s glad he can bring his expertise in men’s health to UP. “I’ve always been someone who likes to help people,” he admits. “I like treating patients and helping them obtain a better quality of life. Not a day goes by that we don’t improve a patient’s sexual health or performance.”
Houston’s patients appreciate his easy-going, straightforward approach. “I talk about sexual dysfunction issues just as frankly as I would talk to someone about any other aspect of their health” he says. “Most times, it’s pretty easy. We’re all men, most would like to enjoy sex as long as possible, so I just jump right in and say, ‘Tell me what’s going on.’ That helps put them at ease and gets them talking. If I’m not uncomfortable, they’re not uncomfortable. And we don’t just talk medicine. If they’re a veteran, there’s a good chance we’ll trade a few war stories.”
When Houston isn’t caring for patients, the Colorado native is a self-professed gearhead who likes restoring cars. He’s also an avid fitness enthusiast who exercises regularly and takes to the field for weekly softball games.
