Category: Clinical Care

Bedford Falls Foundation-DAF and Hanover Family Foundation Invest $530,000 in Nursing Student Success

Written by Aimee C. McMillin

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Clinical CareEducationPublic ServiceResearch
The participants on a recent tour of a UT Health Sciences College of Nursing simulation suite. The participants are gathered around a simulation mannequin patient in a hospital bed.

The Bedford Falls Foundation-DAF and the Hanover Family Foundation have made a combined $530,000 gift to the University of Tennessee Health Sciences College of Nursing to strengthen student success initiatives that help undergraduate students thrive academically, persist to graduation and enter the nursing workforce prepared to meet growing healthcare needs. This gift represents a collaborative… Read More

Donors Invest $34 Million in the Future of UT Health Sciences During Fiscal Year 2026

Written by Aimee C. McMillin

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Clinical CareEducationPublic ServiceResearch
The University of Tennessee Health Science Center stone arches, with a building with the UT logo in the background.

The University of Tennessee Health Sciences secured $34 million in philanthropic support during fiscal year 2026, reflecting growing momentum behind the institution and confidence in its mission to transform healthcare through education, training, clinical care, research and service. The total represents a 66% increase over the previous year’s fundraising results. As part of the University… Read More

Dr. Tejesh Patel Appointed to Dual Chair Role in Pathology and Dermatology

Written by Brianna Peck

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Clinical CareEducation
Dr. Tejesh Patel headshot

Tejesh Patel, MD, FAAD, has been named chair of the University of Tennessee Health Sciences College of Medicine’s Department of Pathology, effective July 1. Dr. Patel has served as interim chair since March 2024. He has also served as chair of the Kaplan-Amonette Department of Dermatology since 2018 and will now lead both departments. “Being… Read More

How Future Healers Stay Human

Written by Chris Green

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Clinical CareEducation
Pepper Mason and Emily Lu working together on a painting.

Students Turn to Art for Connection, Identity and Relief in High-Pressure Environment Long before she became a medical student, Emily Lu learned to understand people by drawing their faces. Growing up near Nashville after immigrating with her family from China, she found portrait drawing a way to form connections that transcended language or cultural barriers.… Read More

Community Pharmacy Residency Program Study Leads to Expanded Access to Diabetes Care in Tennessee

Written by Nathan Ball

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Clinical CareResearch
Two pharmacists in white coats speak with a patient

The University of Tennessee Health Sciences College of Pharmacy’s PGY-1 Community-Based Residency Program, in collaboration with Kroger Health, has developed a successful model for expanding access to A1C testing in community pharmacies. A pilot study conducted by the residency program and Kroger Health, completed in May 2026, found standardized A1C testing in community pharmacies improved… Read More

Shelby County Relative Caregiver Program Secures $5.1 Million for Next 5 Years

Written by Brianna Peck

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Clinical CarePublic Service
Girls in white dresses twirl with umbrellas

The Center on Developmental Disabilities at the University of Tennessee Health Sciences has received approximately $5.1 million from the state of Tennessee to continue operating the Shelby County Relative Caregiver Program for the next five years. The funding was secured through a statewide competition administered by the Tennessee Department of Children’s Services. The award extends… Read More

Chattanooga Native Dr. Benjamin C. Smith Named Chair of Emergency Medicine

Written by Sarah Small

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Clinical CareEducation
Headshot of Dr. Benjamin Smith

The University of Tennessee Health Sciences College of Medicine – Chattanooga has named Benjamin C. Smith, MD, chair of the Department of Emergency Medicine. Dr. Smith steps into the role after serving as interim chair of the department since January 2025. Dr. Smith has played a key role in training future emergency physicians since the… Read More

PA Students Put Tennessee First

Written by Allyson Lawson

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Clinical CareEducationPublic ServiceResearch
UT Health Sciences PA students pose for a group photo with Chancellor Peter Buckley in front of the Capitol Building.

A new generation of Physician Assistants trained at UT Health Sciences are heading toward the communities that need them most. The bus pulled out of Memphis before sunrise. A few students dozed in the early dark, heads tilted toward windows as the highway unspooled west to east. In the quiet, a voice carried from the front.  “What are you doing?”  Another student… Read More