Rodney Tucker, MD, MMM, will serve as the Interim Director of the Division of Gerontology, Geriatrics, and Palliative Care, effective April 5, 2021.

Dr. Tucker is a Professor of Medicine and an internationally renowned palliative care physician. He holds the Christine S. Ritchie, MD, Endowed Chair in Palliative Care Leadership and directs UAB’s Center for Palliative and Supportive Care.

Dr. Tucker earned both his bachelor’s and medical doctorate at UAB and trained in internal medicine at Carraway Methodist Medical Center, where he also served as Chief Resident. Since joining our faculty, he has served in many key roles, including Palliative Care Section Head, Chief Experience Officer for UAB Medicine, Director of the UAB Center for Palliative and Supportive Care, and Founding Director of the Southeast Institute for Innovation in Palliative and Supportive Care. He is the immediate past president of the American Association of Hospice and Palliative Medicine.

As Interim Director, Dr. Tucker will lead the Division in sustaining and growing its superlative programs to provide care for older adults and those with serious illness and to improve their care through education and discovery. His goal is to make the Division the most sought after in the country to lead and work in.

Dr. Tucker takes the reigns from Cynthia J. Brown, MD, MSPH, who leaves at the end of this month to become Chair of the Department of Medicine at LSU-New Orleans. The Department will undertake a national search for the next Director of the Division.

Special thanks to Ken Saag, MD, MSc, who chaired the Search Committee for the Interim Director, the members of the committee (Kathy Burgio, PhD, Elizabeth Turnipseed, MD, MSPH, and Doug Royal), and the faculty nominees for the position.