People: Faculty News


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

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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


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

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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


Researcher Receives $466,000 Federal Grant to Study Eye Damage from Chemical Warfare Agents

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Dr. Nawajes Mandal looks into a microscope

Nawajes Mandal, PhD, professor of Ophthalmology at the University of Tennessee Health Sciences, has been awarded a $466,103 grant from the National Eye Institute (NEI), part of the National Institutes of Health, to investigate how chemical warfare agents, specifically blister agents like mustard gas, damage the eyes and cause long-term vision loss. Blister agents like… Read More


Dr. Kristi Forman Named Associate Vice Chancellor for Enrollment Management

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Dr. Kristi Forman's headshot.

Kristi Forman, DBA, has been named the associate vice chancellor for Enrollment Management. In this newly created position, Dr. Forman is responsible for driving the successful execution of the institution’s Strategic Enrollment Plan and aligning enrollment initiatives with organizational mission, academic priorities and financial objectives. In partnership with campus leadership and college and program colleagues,… Read More


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

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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


Tennessee to the World, Graduates Head to Armed Forces

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Emily McCulley grew up in Memphis, about as far from a coastal naval base as you can get. Then she enrolled in medical school and started asking a different kind of question. “I kind of wanted more out of life,” she says. “Adventure.” This spring, Emily McCulley, MD, crossed the commencement stage at the University… Read More


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

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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

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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