Dr. Robert (Rob) Minkes is a board-certified general and pediatric surgeon, healthcare leader, and ICF-credentialed coach with more than twenty years of clinical and leadership experience. He earned his Bachelor of Science from the University of Miami, followed by a Ph.D. in Pharmacology (1991) and Doctor of Medicine (1992) from Tulane University. He completed his general and pediatric surgical training at Washington University in St. Louis. Dr. Minkes also holds a Master of Science in Leadership and Organizational Development from the University of Texas at Dallas, with a specialization in Transformational Leadership and Executive Coaching, and is an AAPL Certified Physician Executive (CPE).

Dr. Minkes has held leadership positions across academic medicine, community health systems, and private practice. His previous roles include Chief of Pediatric Surgery at LSU Health Sciences Center, Professor of Surgery at UT Southwestern, and Chief Clinical Officer for Children’s Medical Center in Plano, Texas, where he helped launch the facility. In 2016, he joined Lee Health as Medical Director of Pediatric Surgical Services, contributing to the opening of Golisano Children’s Hospital of Southwest Florida. He later became System Medical Director for Adult Specialty and Surgical Services at Lee Health, leading initiatives in clinical care, provider recruitment and onboarding, peer support, and care continuum alignment.

Dr. Minkes joined the Orlando College of Osteopathic Medicine (OCOM) in July 2023 and served as Chair of Specialty Medicine until May 2026. He now serves as OCOM’s Medical Director for Artificial Intelligence, bringing together his experience in medicine, healthcare leadership, medical education, and coaching to guide the thoughtful integration of AI into medical education and institutional practice. His work focuses on using emerging technologies to improve quality, efficiency, and decision-making while preparing future physicians to practice in an increasingly AI-enabled healthcare environment.