Vanderbilt University School of Medicine’s Academy for Excellence in Clinical Medicine (AECM) has selected 27 new members. The AECM was formed in 2021 to “honor exemplary clinicians who combine humanism, professionalism and a passion for patient care with a scholarly approach to improving patient health and establish a community of leaders to promote clinical excellence.” Members in the Academy are expected to give back to the institution by acting as mentors, giving presentations on professionalism, and leading discussions with care givers on how to help elevate patient care throughout the medical center.
The AECM selection committee chose the new members based on the nominees’ CVs, their personal philosophy regarding clinical excellence as it pertains to their practices and their letters of support. AECM members undergo a rigorous, multi-step vetting process that includes the following steps:
- Calls for nominations were sent to all VUMC-employed faculty members via email with a description of the Academy’s mission and the eligibility criteria, along with a link to a REDCap survey to nominate faculty.
- Faculty who received three independent nominations through the REDCap survey were vetted by the Office of Faculty and Medical Staff Engagement to ensure that they met all Academy membership criteria.
- Eligible faculty were invited to submit a full nomination package, which included their CV, a personal philosophy regarding clinical excellence as it pertains to their practice, as well as references from peers, learners, staff, and patients and families. Nomination packets were reviewed by two current AECM members.
A reception to celebrate the members is planned for February 2026.
The AECM is led by an elected steering committee that currently consists of Alison Herdon, MD, MSPH, associate professor of Clinical Pediatrics, David Parra, MD, professor of Pediatrics, and Shilpa Reddy, MD, associate professor of Pediatrics. The Academy’s executive sponsors are Maureen Gannon, PhD, professor of Medicine and associate dean for Faculty Affairs, Rick Wright, MD, professor and chair of Orthopaedic Surgery and Chief Medical Officer and senior vice president for Clinical Affairs, and Cecelia Theobald, MD, MPH, associate professor of Medicine and chief of staff for Corporate Clinical Affairs and senior vice President for Clinical Affairs.
The 27 faculty to be inducted into the AECM:
- Narender Annapureddy, MD, MS, Department of Medicine
- Colin Armstrong, PhD, Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences
- Shichun Bao, MD, PhD, Department of Medicine
- Dawn Beaulieu, MD, Department of Medicine
- Deanna Bell, MD, Department of Pediatrics
- Sunny Bell, MD, Department of Pediatrics
- Adriana Bialostozky, MD, Department of Pediatrics
- Bapsi Chakravarthy, MD, FASTRO, Department of Radiation Oncology
- Douglass Clayton, MD, Department of Urology
- Karishma Datye, MD, MSCI, Department of Pediatrics
- Nanette Dendy, MD, FACP, Department of Medicine
- Sapna Gangaputra, MD, MPH, Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences
- Lee Gorden, MD, FACS, Department of Surgery
- Matthew Grace, MD, MMHC, Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology
- Manhal Izzy, MD, Department of Medicine
- Christina Anne Jelly, MD, MS, Department of Anesthesiology
- Melissa Kaufman, MD, PhD, FACS, Department of Urology
- Jennifer King, MD, PharmD, Department of Pediatrics
- Sara Martin, MD, Department of Medicine
- James “Huck” Muldowney III, MD, Department of Medicine
- Stephen Schaaf, MD, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
- Ryan Skeens, MD, Department of Pediatrics
- Christine Smith, MD, Department of Pediatrics
- William Sullivan, MD, MEd, Department of Medicine
- Frank Virgin, MD, Department of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery
- Elizabeth Walsh, PhD, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
- Amy Whigham, MD, MS-HPEd, Department of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery
