Q+A
Q+A: Douglas Terry, PhD
Mar. 5, 2025—Neuropsychologist Douglas Terry, PhD, works with the National Football League as the senior director of Research, a role focused on initiatives to enhance the health and safety of NFL players. This is an extension of Terry’s expertise in sport-related concussion and cumulative head impacts. Q. What goes through your mind when you see a player...
Q + A: Muktar Aliyu, MD, DrPH, MPH
Mar. 27, 2024—Muktar Aliyu, MD, DrPH, MPH, is director of the Vanderbilt Institute for Global Health (VIGH) and professor of Health Policy and Medicine at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. He holds the Endowed Directorship in Global Health. VIGH facilitates the expansion and coordination of global health research, technical assistance and training initiatives at VUMC. Q. What do...
Q + A: Ritu Banerjee, MD, PhD
Jan. 3, 2023—Ritu Banerjee, MD, PhD, is professor of Pediatrics, director of Clinical Services for the Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, and medical director of the Pediatric Antimicrobial Stewardship Program at Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt. What do you like about being an infectious disease specialist? It’s never boring. It’s always interesting. There’s so much...
Q + A: Rev. Cordell Simpson
May. 16, 2022—The Rev. Cordell Simpson was ordained a pastor in Alabama in 1982 and joined VUMC’s chaplaincy service in 2008 on a part-time basis before becoming full time in 2012. How much of your time is devoted to being a hospital chaplain? I work 40 hours per week, Monday through Friday, visiting patients and families, caring...
Q + A: E. Wesley Ely, MD, MPH
Oct. 18, 2021—“Every Deep-Drawn Breath,” released Sept. 7 by Scribner, is the first book for a general readership from pulmonologist and critical care specialist E. Wesley Ely, MD, MPH, the Grant W. Liddle Professor of Medicine and founding co-director of the groundbreaking Critical Illness, Brain Dysfunction and Survivorship (CIBS) Center. Q: What is “Every Deep-Drawn Breath” about,...
Q + A: William Schaffner, MD
Mar. 19, 2021—William Schaffner, MD, professor of Preventive Medicine in the Department of Health Policy and professor of Medicine in the Division of Infectious Diseases, is the reassuring face and voice of reliable, relatable and real-time facts about infectious diseases. Over the past year he has conducted thousands of media interviews about COVID-19. Q. How did you...
Q + A: Kianna Jackson, MD’20
Oct. 5, 2020—Kianna Jackson, MD’20, recipient of the 1965 School of Medicine Class Scholarship and the Darline & Robert Raskind Scholarships, was the Founders Medalist for the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine class of 2020, bestowed to the student graduating with first honors. Jackson is also the first Black student to receive the medal at VUSM. She...
Q + A: Donald Brady, MD’90
Mar. 12, 2020—In July 2019 Donald Brady, MD’90, assumed the role of Senior Associate Dean for Health Sciences Education at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine and Executive Vice-President for Educational Affairs at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. He proudly refers to himself a “Quad ‘Dore” having ties to Vanderbilt as an undergraduate student, medical student, resident physician and...
Q + A: Consuelo H. Wilkins, MD, MSCI
Sep. 9, 2019—Q. What are your first steps in establishing the new Office of Health Equity? A. These first few months we’re trying to better understand the landscape of who within the Medical Center is conducting health equity research. Some people are doing work they may not necessarily label as health equity, but that’s really what they’re...
Q + A: John “Nicky” Grimes
Feb. 28, 2019—John “Nicky” Grimes, PhD, is a second-year student in Vanderbilt University School of Medicine’s Medical Innovators Development Program (MIDP), a four-year PhD-to-MD training program tailored to engineers and applied scientists. The first in his family to obtain a traditional bachelor’s degree, Grimes, who holds the Glenn and Virginia Hammonds Scholarship, explains what led him to...
Q+A: Michelle Izmaylov
Aug. 21, 2015—Michelle Izmaylov is a third-year medical student from Atlanta, and a successful writer of fantasy-fiction books for young adults. Izmaylov, 24, has already published three novels and one novella and received several literary awards including the 2010 Blumenthal Award for Best Undergraduate Essay, among others. She holds the Hollis E. and Frances Settle Johnson Scholarship....
Q+A: Kristen Eckstrand, Ph.D.
Feb. 10, 2015—Kristen Eckstrand, Ph.D., a 2015 MD candidate, is the founder and co-director of the Vanderbilt Program for LGBTI (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex) Health. She is also chair of the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) Advisory Committee on Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity, and Sex Development. She recently co-edited and co-authored a groundbreaking national...
Q+A: Rivka Ihejirka
Aug. 21, 2014—Rivka Ihejirika is a third-year medical student from Los Angeles. She is the recipient of the Cornelius Vanderbilt Scholarship and the James Edward Holloran Scholarship, established by the Class of 1980. Q. When did you know you wanted to be a doctor? A. When I was a little kid, I was always curious about...