Sean B. Baker, DO
Sean B. Baker, DO, is a native of West Memphis, Arkansas. At age six, he relocated to Port-au-Prince, Haiti, with his family as his father, Dr. William Levi Baker, Jr., went to the mission field as a veterinarian with Christian Veterinary Mission to serve a three-year term in Haiti. Dr. Bill Baker then went on to work for USAID as the lead veterinarian on a large pig repopulation project for the next four years. The family was forced to leave Haiti after four coup d’etats as well as increasing violence and instability within the country. The family returned to central Arkansas where Dr. Sean Baker completed high school in Sherwood, Arkansas.
During this time and after his experiences in Haiti, Dr. Baker felt a strong calling to help others. In high school, he became a lifeguard, lifeguard instructor, and swim instructor. In his senior year of high school, he joined the local fire department and completed his training through the Arkansas Fire Academy to become an Arkansas fireman. After completion of high school, he went on to college at the University of Central Arkansas in Conway, participating in the ROTC program for the army and completing the EMT training offered to the Arkansas Fire Academy. Due to a severe knee injury, he was unable to continue in the ROTC program, and he left the University of Central Arkansas to attend Garland County Community college in Hot Springs, Arkansas, completing the paramedic program over the next year. He went on to serve as a paramedic and fire fighter for the next 11 years in various places in the state of Arkansas. While there, he served on the board of the Arkansas Paramedic Society. He also returned to complete his college degree in biology and physical science at the University of Arkansas while working an average of 72 hours a week on the ambulance at Conway Regional Medical Center. Dr. Baker then went on to participate in the masters of health service administration program at the University of Arkansas Little rock. During his time there, he served as a graduate assistant to the Arkansas Medicaid program and an administrative intern at Baxter Regional Medical Center.
While he had a strong desire to pursue health administration, he truly missed regular patient care. He decided to apply to the Oklahoma state University College of Osteopathic Medicine program and was accepted. After this acceptance, he made the difficult decision to delay his health care administration training and entered his training to become an osteopathic physician. During his time at the Oklahoma State University College of Osteopathic Medicine, he served in multiple roles, including president of the Student Osteopathic Medical association, student ambassador, and osteopathic manual medicine trainer. He then completed an internship and residence in family medicine at Tulsa Regional Medical Center, receiving the Resident of the Year award and serving as chief resident. During this same time, he also re-entered service in the Oklahoma National guard, starting as a field medical assistant and 2nd Lieutenant and receiving a direct commission as a captain after his intern year.
Upon graduation of residency, Dr. Baker was afforded the opportunity to join a brand new group of physicians at Mercy Clinic in Fort Smith in 2007. He began full-time practice with the group in Van Buren in 2008. Dr. Baker then served the fledgling group as an inaugural board member of the clinic and its first board chair. He was called to active duty with the army during the 2009 surge of Operation Iraqi Freedom. He chaired his first board meeting from Baghdad, Iraq. He also deployed in 2012 to Kosovo as a service task force flight surgeon with the Arkansas medevac unity. Dr. Baker has continued to be a practicing physician with the group until the present day. He had the opportunity to help grow the group from one of less than 20 positions with 2 primary care locations in 2007 to currently having over 300 providers in over 25 primary care locations. Of note, some of these locations are in assisted-living facilities and school-based clinics. In 2010, he was named medical director of primary care, and in 2012, he was promoted to department chair of primary care and has served 2 terms on the health system community board. He has also had the opportunity to support the creation of the Arkansas College of Osteopathic Medicine and develop a strong working relationship between Mercy Health System and the college. He was privileged to be the inaugural Program Director of the family medicine residency in Fort Smith and currently serves as its associate program director. He continues to serve in the Oklahoma National Guard and has attained the rank of Colonel and flight surgeon.
In 2022, Dr. Baker and his wife started a new business in the river valley called Farmers Market Direct. The mission of his new venture is to provide the local community with the most locally-produced, nutrient-dense foods available. He resides in Fort Smith with his wife, Erica, and their four children. He is a member of the American Osteopathic Association, the American College of Osteopathic Family Physicians and currently serves as the past president of the Arkansas Osteopathic Association. He considers it one of his most humbling honors to serve on the board of trustees of the Arkansas Colleges of Health Education.
