Jimmy D. Acklin, M.D. Family Medicine Physician

Clinical Biography

Jimmy Acklin is a native of Conway, Arkansas, and earned his Bachelor of Science in zoology at the University of Arkansas in 1979. He earned his Doctor of Medicine at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock in 1983. He completed a residency in Family Medicine at AHEC Fort Smith (now UAMS West Regional Campus) in 1986 where he served as chief resident. He passed his board exams and was recognized as a diplomate of the American Board of Family Medicine. He immediately joined the residency faculty with a focus on rebuilding the obstetrics curriculum.

In 1992, he was acknowledged as a fellow in the American Academy of Family Physicians and was promoted to associate professor of family medicine at UAMS. He completed his residency director fellowship through the Association of Family Medicine Residency Directors in 1997 and became the residency director of AHEC Fort Smith in January 1997, serving in that capacity through 2012. He then spent six years working for the Veterans Healthcare Service of the Ozarks as a primary care physician.

He retired from the VA, but was not happy being separated from medicine, and resumed patient care on a part time basis with the River Valley Primary Care clinics in Radcliff and Lavaca from 2019 until 2023. He returned to teaching on a limited basis in 2021 at the UAMS West Regional Campus and has increased to 60% FTE at present.

Outside of his passion for teaching medical students and residents, he enjoys working with his church on various mission trips, traveling, the outdoors, and cooking.