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Smotochukwu Ukwuani, MD, gets a hug after receiving her diploma at the School of Medicine ceremony.

Commencement 2022

May. 18, 2022—Vanderbilt University's Schools of Medicine, Nursing and Graduate School held Commencement ceremonies May 13.

Sherita, Care Partner, hold puppy while Nashville Humane Association (NHA) introduces Paws on the Plaza, an event in which the NHA will bring adoptable puppies to the VUMC Plaza. Although this is not an official adoption event, all puppies are available for adoption through NHA following the event. While NHA offers Bark Breaks throughout the Nashville/Middle Tennessee area, we are thrilled to be the first hospital to enter this partnership. Photos by: Susan Urmy

May. 11, 2022—On Wednesday, May 11, the Vanderbilt University Medical Center Plaza became home to a whole lot of four-legged love. That’s when the Nashville Humane Association, in partnership with VUMC, presented its first “Paws on the Plaza” event, which is set to bring a litter of puppies to the plaza each month from May through October.

Shown at Monday’s VICC Annual Scientific Retreat are (front row, from left) Timothy Blackwell, MD, Fabien Maldonado, MD, Denise Aberle, MD, Melinda Aldrich, PhD, MPH, Kim Sandler, MD, (back row, from left) Eric Grogan, MD, MPH, Sudhir Srivastava, PhD, MPH, M. Patricia Rivera, MD, Julien Sage, PhD, David Carbone, MD, PhD, and Scott Hiebert, PhD.

VICC Scientific Retreat focuses on lung cancer

May. 5, 2022—by Tom Wilemon Speakers at the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center (VICC) 23rd Annual Scientific Retreat celebrated “Advances in Lung Cancer Research” but noted that too many people with the disease are not benefiting from those achievements. “Lung cancer is our leading cause of cancer mortality. Twenty-nine percent of our total cancers are lung cancer. That’s the...

Jeff Balser, MD, PhD, talks about initiatives underway to ensure that VUMC is an institution that represents diversity, equity and inclusion.

Leadership Assembly: Embarking on a transformational racial equity plan

May. 4, 2022—Vanderbilt University Medical Center leaders are launching a transformational effort to foster an inclusive environment to ensure people at all levels of the organization experience a welcoming environment where everyone can thrive.

Get ready for a regular dose of adorable when the Nashville Humane Association begins bringing puppies to the VUMC Plaza once a month for employees to interact with.

Paws on the Plaza event aims to unleash puppy love

May. 4, 2022—Vanderbilt is partnering with the Nashville Humane Association for “Paws on the Plaza,” a new event that will bring a litter of puppies to the Medical Center Plaza each month from May through October.

VUSM resident Carolina Gomez Grimaldo, MD, demonstrates how to suture for Metro Nashville Public Schools students during a recent event where residents, fellows and medical students talked about why and how they chose to become physicians.

Event for MNPS students shares reasons to pursue medicine

Apr. 28, 2022—More than 200 high school students at four Metro Nashville Public Schools recently participated in hands-on activities and listened to a diverse group of Vanderbilt residents, fellows and medical students talk about why and how they chose to become physicians.

Studies by Andrew Glazer, PhD, Giovanni Davogustto, MD, and colleagues found that genetic testing with information from electronic health records can reveal undiagnosed heart rhythm disorders.

Studies combine genetic testing, electronic health records to find undiagnosed diseases

Apr. 28, 2022—Combining genetic testing with information from electronic health records revealed undiagnosed heart rhythm disorders and new conditions associated with inherited cancer gene mutations.

VUMC named BEST for Babies hospital by TDH

Apr. 28, 2022—Vanderbilt University Medical Center once again was named as a BEST for Babies hospital by the Tennessee Department of Health.

Patient care technician Pamela Spencer holds up a handwritten letter from a patient’s parent filled with praise for Spencer’s special bond with her patients.

Patients and families share positive feedback on their experiences at VUMC

Apr. 27, 2022—To mark Patient Experience Week, a national event to celebrate how health care providers impact patient experience, several employees from across the Medical Center were invited to participate in a video to share their thoughts about why patient experience is so important.

Vanderbilt University School of Medicine student Meredith Huszagh works with study participant Brij Desai in a diabetes prevention program at the Shade Tree Clinic.

Diabetes prevention program run by students shows success

Apr. 21, 2022—Seventy-five percent of participants in a diabetes prevention program run by medical students lost at least 5% of their body weight, and many participants also reported less pain and an overall improved quality of life.

Study casts doubt on impact of menthol-flavored tobacco ban

Apr. 21, 2022—Vanderbilt research finds that a ban on the sale of menthol-flavored cigarettes that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is on track to implement may have unintended consequences.

Children with autism report greater gender diversity: study

Apr. 21, 2022—Vanderbilt researchers found that children with autism report higher rates of gender diversity — the way in which an individual experiences gender distinct from social norms for their gender assigned at birth — than their typically developing peers.