André L. Churchwell, MD, was honored with a portrait on May 6 in recognition of his three decades of service at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. The portrait was unveiled during a celebration event at the Annette and Irwin Eskind Family Biomedical Library and Learning Center.
Churchwell is a distinguished cardiologist and a nationally recognized leader in health care and education. He graduated magna cum laude from Vanderbilt University in 1975 with a Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Engineering. Churchwell earned his Doctor of Medicine from Harvard Medical School, followed by an internship, residency, and cardiology fellowship at Emory University. In 1984, he made history as the first African American chief resident of medicine at Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta. After completing his training, Dr. Churchwell became the inaugural minority affairs officer at Emory University School of Medicine, a role that led to a resident organization being named in his honor.
Returning to Vanderbilt in 1991 with Page-Campbell Heart, Dr. Churchwell took on faculty roles in Medicine, Biomedical Engineering, and Radiology and Radiological Sciences. He was awarded the Levi Watkins Jr., M.D. Chair, where he championed Dr. Watkins’ legacy of overcoming scientific and cultural barriers. Throughout his decades of service at Vanderbilt, Dr. Churchwell held numerous senior leadership positions at both VUMC and Vanderbilt University, significantly impacting graduate medical education, community outreach, and fostering a culture of belonging.
In recognition of his pioneering contributions as a clinician and educator, Dr. Churchwell was inducted into the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering (AIMBE) in 2016 and received a national Impact Award from AIMBE in 2025. His outstanding achievements were further celebrated with his induction into the Tennessee Health Care Hall of Fame in 2023.
His portrait will hang in 208 Light Hall.