Dr. Dawson’s Care Team

Mark C. Dawson, M.D.

Dr. Dawson attended medical school in Galveston and moved to Austin to complete his residency program in Family Medicine. After serving as Chief Resident in that program, he went into private practice in Oak Hill in 1985. Despite the various changes that have occurred in Austin since that time, he has worked to keep his practice a traditional family-focused office. After sharing on-call responsibilities with the other physicians of South Austin Family Practice for more than 10 years, he is pleased to be joining forces with them to help provide a growing network of quality family health care.

Dr. Dawson has been involved in Boy Scouts as a Scoutmaster for the past several years, enjoys outdoor activities, disc golf, and traveling. He and his wife Debbie(his office manager) have 3 grown sons, have hosted a number of foreign exchange students, and are proud to be involved in the care of those patients and families we have gotten to know over the years.

Care Philosophy

Dr. Dawson started his practice more than 25 years ago with practice philosophies that he has worked hard to continue despite the changing world of medical care. The concept of providing the type of care he would expect to receive as a patient is probably the center point of the methods he tries to employ. In that respect, it is good to see a movement to bring back in focus the concept of the medical home, where patients can feel they have a central location for care and information that they can rely on and be comfortable with. This is the very core of traditional family medicine and is the type of relationship that he feels will help good medical care survive the currently evolving American healthcare system.

"I believe strongly that having the patient, office staff, and providers work as a team is the most efficient, comprehensive, and satisfying way to provide good health care. This means the medical side of the team should strive to be responsive in a timely fashion, available for care when needed, listening to concerns, and providing or coordinating appropriate care. To complement that, the patient side of the team should communicate concerns and problems as they arise, cooperate in planning and implementing treatment plans, and do their best to practice healthy lifestyles. Realizing that there are limitations to either side being perfect in these goals, we never the less need to strive to accomplish them. It is exciting and invigorating to be able to use current technology and resources to help achieve these goals, and I am confident that Premier Family Physicians will continue to be a dynamic and effective agent in providing unparalleled health care services."

Accepting New Patients: No
Education:

Undergraduate: Southwestern University
Medical: University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX
Residency: Family Medicine, Central Texas Medical Foundation

Board Certifications:

Family Medicine

Affiliations:

Texas Academy of Family Practice
American Medial Association
Associate professor Family Medicine UTMB
American Academy of Family Practice
Texas Medical Association
Travis County Medical Society

Honors and Awards:

Southwest YMCA Board of Managers
Boy Scouts of America, Scoutmaster
Chief Medicine Resident

Shannon Drachenberg, PA-C

Shannon was born and raised in Round Rock, TX. She graduated with honors with her Master's Degree in Physician Assistant Studies from The University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio. She has been married to John since 2005 and they enjoy living in South Austin.

She enjoys the challenge and diversity of family practice, getting to know her patients and treating all ages. Her interests include spending time with family, serving others in the community, being outdoors, reading, and the Texas Longhorns.

Care Philosophy

Shannon Drachenberg, PA-C, enjoys the challenge and diversity of working in family practice and is committed to serving patients of all ages. Special interests include preventative medicine and managing common conditions such as hypertension, high cholesterol, and diabetes. She believes that listening to and partnering with her patients when making medical decisions are the keys to a long-lasting, trusted provider-patient relationship. Her scope of practice includes same-day acute complaints, evaluating and treating common illnesses, comprehensive wellness exams, and managing chronic conditions.

Accepting New Patients: Yes
Education:

Undergraduate: University of Texas at Austin
Medical: UT Health Science Center at San Antonio

Affiliations:

American Academy of Physician Assistants
Central Texas PA Society
Texas Academy of Physician Assistants

Honors and Awards:

Alpha Eta Honor Society Member
UTHSCSA

Leslie Brice, PA-C

Leslie moved to Austin in 1982. She graduated with honors from UT Austin with a BA in Biology and worked for Dr. Dawson for several years as a medical assistant before going back to school. She graduated with honors from the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio with her Masters in Physician Assistant Studies.

She and her husband Matt have been together since 2006 and have one son named Jaxon. She is an avid runner and animal lover. Her interests include live music, cooking, and spending time with her family and three dogs.

Care Philosophy:

Leslie believes in a comprehensive approach to healthcare. She feels it is important to take a team approach when practicing medicine. The patient is the most important member of the team and caring for the patient is the job of the medical home. She hopes to form a lasting relationship with her patients through open communication and respect for their concerns. Her mission is to promote a healthy lifestyle and provide high-quality compassionate care.

Accepting New Patients: Yes
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