Kendra Parekh, MD, MHPE, associate professor of Emergency Medicine, has been named Vice President for Educational Affairs and Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME)/National Resident Matching Program Designated Institutional Official (DIO) for Vanderbilt University Medical Center, and associate dean for Graduate Medical Education for Vanderbilt University School of Medicine (VUSM), effective Dec. 1.
Parekh, vice chair for Education for the Department of Emergency Medicine and assistant dean for Undergraduate Medical Education for VUSM, succeeds Kyla Terhune, MD, MBA, who was named Senior Vice President for Education at the American College of Surgeons, effective Nov. 1.
“We are very excited to announce that Dr. Kendra Parekh is taking on these pivotal roles in graduate medical education,” said Donald Brady, MD, Executive Vice President for Educational and Medical Staff Affairs at VUMC and Executive Vice Dean for Academic Affairs at VUSM. “Kendra’s unwavering dedication and passion for medical education have been evident through leadership in our undergraduate medical education program and in departmental educational leadership. We’re confident Kendra will bring that same drive and visionary approach to training and supporting all of our residents and fellows.
“We look forward to working with Dr. Parekh in further advancing Vanderbilt University Medical Center to be a national and global leader in graduate medical education and the training of physicians. Dr. Parekh’s leadership will be instrumental in shaping VUMC’s role as a sponsoring institution of GME programs and strengthening our individual programs as we navigate the evolving health care landscape and embrace innovations across the medical education continuum.”
As Vice President for Educational Affairs and DIO, Parekh will be responsible for oversight and administration of VUMC as a sponsoring institution of GME programs and of all individual VUMC graduate medical education programs, including ACGME-accredited and non-ACGME-accredited programs. This includes leveraging and coordinating activities across the institution’s organizational units, proposing and implementing initiatives, working with multiple stakeholders, and building effective collaborations.
As associate dean for Graduate Medical Education, Parekh will work with the offices of Undergraduate Medical Education, Student Affairs and Continuing Professional Development. In addition, Parekh will assume a key role in the School of Medicine’s Liaison Committee on Medical Education reaccreditation efforts in the areas that deal with the intersection of GME and medical students.
“I am truly honored to step into these roles and excited to partner with the exceptional faculty, staff, learners and patients who make Vanderbilt such a remarkable community,” Parekh said. “I believe in a collaborative, relationship-centered approach to leadership — one that starts with listening and builds toward a shared vision. Together, I look forward to advancing Vanderbilt’s leadership and innovation in medical education.
“What excites me most is the opportunity to build on Vanderbilt GME’s strong foundation and help shape the future of physician training. I look forward to ensuring that our programs continue to meet the needs of our learners, patients and communities, especially as we navigate an increasingly complex and rapidly evolving health care landscape.”
A graduate of the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and VUMC’s Emergency Medicine residency training program, Parekh subsequently completed an American College of Emergency Physicians teaching fellowship and a Master of Health Professions Education at the University of Illinois Chicago.
Since 2018 Parekh has served as director of the Immersion Phase, the final two years of the VUSM curriculum, and has been director of the MD Student Portfolio Coaching Program since 2019. Parekh was named assistant dean for Undergraduate Medical Education in 2020 and began serving as vice chair for Education in the Department of Emergency Medicine in 2024.
Parekh has won multiple teaching awards, presented nationally and internationally on core topics in medical education, and is a part of the American Medical Association’s ChangeMedEd Initiative, a collaborative established to reform and innovate medical education in the United States. Parekh’s academic interests include assessment, coaching, educator development, and transitions along the education continuum.
