Gerald Schulman, M.D., professor of Medicine, died Aug. 26. He was 65.
Dr. Schulman, who specialized in chronic and acute renal failure, hypertension and plasmapheresis within the Division of Nephrology, came to Vanderbilt in 1988. He served as the co-director of the Vanderbilt Clinical Trials Center for 20 years.
He participated in or led a number of groundbreaking studies to improve the lives of those affected by kidney disease, including studies with erythropoietin-stimulating agent (ESA) therapy and angiotensin receptor blockers to prevent progression of chronic kidney disease.
“Gerry Schulman was a valued member of the Nephrology Division for 28 years. He was the consummate clinician — knowledgeable, thoughtful and compassionate. He was a role model and mentor to generations of our trainees. He was also widely recognized for his expertise in clinical research. He will be sorely missed by all of us in Nephrology,” said Raymond Harris, M.D., Ann and Roscoe R. Robinson Professor of Nephrology and professor of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics.
Dr. Schulman earned his undergraduate degree from State University of New York at Buffalo, and his medical degree from New York University. He served his residency at Bronx Municipal Hospital Center, followed by a research fellowship in Medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital- Harvard Medical School. He was board-certified in Nephrology and Internal Medicine.
Dr. Schulman is survived by his wife, Marta Hernanz-Schulman, M.D., professor of Radiology and Radiological Sciences at Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt, and son, Alan Schulman.
“On behalf of the Medical Center I want to express my deepest sympathy to Dr. Hernanz-Schulman and Alan. For nearly three decades Dr. Schulman was a valued member of our faculty. Gerry’s clinical expertise helped improve the lives of our patients while his research contributed important insights into the management of this complex and pervasive disease. We will miss Gerry’s many contributions to the success of his department and our mission,” said C. Wright Pinson, MBA, M.D., Deputy CEO and Chief Health System Officer for VUMC.
Services for Dr. Schulman will be held Thursday, Sept. 1, at the Cathedral of the Incarnation at 2015 West End Ave, at 3 p.m. The family requests donations to the Humane Society (www.humanesociety.org/) in lieu of flowers.
