Anyone looking for “Dr. Williamson” on the campus of the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) may want to be specific. The newest additions to the College of Medicine’s Department of Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery are father and son, Adrian Williamson III, M.D., and Adrian Williamson IV, M.D. The father practices at the new UAMS-Baptist Health ENT Clinic while his son cares for pediatric patients at Arkansas Children’s Hospital. Despite working at different locations, their paths occasionally cross during departmental meetings.
Their family ties run deep at UAMS. Jonathan Williamson, M.D., Adrian IV’s younger brother, is completing a pediatric emergency medicine fellowship at ACH, and his fiancée, Emily Ray, M.D., is an OB/GYN resident at UAMS. Adrian IV’s wife, Emily Williamson, M.D., also works at UAMS as an anesthesiologist. While it may seem medicine is a family tradition, Adrian IV notes that their family roots lie in banking and law—his father, Adrian III, was the one who started the family’s medical journey. Adrian III believes that his wife Katherine, a retired ICU nurse, may have had a strong influence as well. Katherine’s sisters are nurses, reinforcing the medical legacy. Beyond their immediate family, Adrian III’s mother, Sue Williamson, contributed to UAMS as a development officer for three decades, playing a key role in fundraising for many of the campus’s transformative projects before her retirement in 2014.
Reflecting on his career path, Adrian III attributes his decision to become a physician to a high school civics assignment. “I randomly picked ‘physician’ for a career report,” he recalled. That sparked his interest in medicine, which deepened when he worked as a scrub tech at St. Vincent Infirmary during college. A pivotal moment came when he assisted Dr. A.J. “Jack” Brizzolara during a middle ear reconstruction Seeing patients regain their hearing, Adrian III knew he had found his calling.
Adrian III completed his medical degree and residency at Tulane University, returning to Little Rock in 1991 to practice near family and join the Arkansas Otolaryngology Center. Over the years, his focus shifted from general otolaryngology to laryngology, and his first day at UAMS was on August 1, 2024. Adrian IV joined just a month later, though the timing was purely coincidental.
The younger Adrian, who completed his residency in head and neck surgery at West Virginia University and a pediatric otolaryngology fellowship at Children’s Mercy in Kansas City, found his passion for otolaryngology during a pediatric rotation at UAMS. Now, he focuses on pediatric airway, sleep, and ear disorders and feels at home at ACH. During his first weekend on the job, Adrian IV performed surgery on a patient at ACH, collaborating with his younger brother Jonathan, a moment their father recounts with pride.
“Dr. Adrian Williamson III brings years of expertise in many facets of otolaryngology to UAMS and is a perfect addition to our team,” said John Dornhoffer, M.D., Chair of the UAMS Department of Otolaryngology. “I am also delighted to welcome Dr. Adrian Williamson IV, who brings his own unique skills to our Pediatric Division. The Williamson family continues to be a great addition to the UAMS family.”