People: Alumni


Breaking Records and Building Smiles: Dr. AJ Robbins’ Path from Student to Specialist

|
Portrait of Dr. AJ Robbins

For Andrew “AJ” Robbins, DDS, dentistry is not just a profession – it’s a calling. The Kingsport, Tennessee, native has charted an impressive course through the University of Tennessee Health Science Center College of Dentistry, where his passion for endodontics set him apart as a rising star in the field. A 2024 College of Dentistry… Read More


Marion Dugdale, a ‘True Academic Physician,’ Pioneered Hemophilia Care in Memphis

|
Dr. Marion Dugdale headshot

When Marion Dugdale, MD, entered medical school at Harvard in the early 1950s, there were only 10 women in her class. Through much of medical school, she wasn’t sure what specialty she would choose or where she would practice. However, according to an oral history done in 2009, she was sure of one thing: “I… Read More


Research Administrator Earns PhD to Advance Career, Help Future Students

|
Portrait of Kimberly Williams Houston

With a relentless drive for learning and a passion for advocacy, Kimberly Williams Houston, PhD, is using her expertise to drive change – both in research administration and in advocating for students like her. Dr. Houston previously earned a master’s degree from UT Health Science Center and has worked on the university’s Institutional Review Board… Read More


Longtime Dean, Dr. Michael Carter, Leaves Nursing Legacy

|
Headshot of Dr. Michael Carter

Long-serving College of Nursing Dean Michael Carter’s pivotal guidance established the University of Tennessee Health Science Center’s reputation for nurse leadership. Known for his advocacy of advanced practice nursing, Michael Carter, DNSc, DNP, FAAN, FNP/GNP-BC, served as dean of the College of Nursing from 1982 to 2000. He died on June 17 at the age… Read More


2025 Health Care Heroes Finalists Reflect the University’s Vital Clinical Presence in Memphis

|
Photo of the UT Health Science Center arches

The list of finalists for the 2025 Health Care Heroes Awards released this week by the Memphis Business Journal illustrates the University of Tennessee Health Science Center’s broad and deep impact on clinical care in the Memphis community. More than half of the 25 finalists are associated in some manner with UT Health Science Center. This… Read More


2024-25 Annual Report: Realizing Our Vision

|
Cover art of the 2024-25 Annual Report

In the two years since the 2023-28 Strategic Plan launched, the University of Tennessee Health Science Center has worked to make our vision – Healthy Tennesseans. Thriving Communities. – a reality. By training the future of health care, delivering exceptional care in hospitals and clinics across Tennessee, conducting top-tier research, and engaging communities statewide, our… Read More


‘I Just Love Helping People,’ New Executive Dean of the College of Medicine Says

|
Photo of Dr. Mike Hocker

The new executive dean for the College of Medicine at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center got his start in health care while in high school, helping out at his uncle’s ambulance company in his hometown of Littleton, Colorado, near Denver. “When I was still in high school, I got my EMT (emergency medical… Read More


UT Health Science Center Physicians in Memphis Have Strong Presence on 2025 Top Doctors List

|
Photo of Dr. David Shibata in consultation with a patient

Sixty-four percent of the Memphis physicians named in the 2025 Top Doctors list from national health care research firm Castle Connolly are affiliated with the University of Tennessee Health Science Center. Of the 452 Memphis physicians on the annual Top Doctors list, 291 are affiliated with UT Health Science Center. The list for Memphis is published in… Read More