UAMS Names Richard Turnage, M.D., as Vice Chancellor of Regional Campuses
| LITTLE ROCK — The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) has named Richard Turnage, M.D., as vice chancellor for Regional Campuses, effective immediately.
He succeeds Amy Wenger, MHSA, who became vice chancellor of the Northwest Regional Campus on Dec. 1.
“Richard is a proven leader here at UAMS,” said Cam Patterson, M.D., MBA, UAMS Chancellor and CEO of UAMS Health. “I know he will do great things as vice chancellor for Regional Campuses.”
“Regional Campuses are vitally important to UAMS’ mission of improving the health and well-being of all Arkansans, said Stephanie Gardner, Pharm.D., Ed.D., senior vice chancellor for academic affairs and provost. “I know Richard is committed to this mission and will be a tremendous asset for our Regional Campuses.”
Turnage currently serves as executive associate dean for clinical affairs in the College of Medicine and is a professor in the college’s Department of Surgery. He is also the interim chair of the Department of Family and Preventive Medicine in the college and will continue in that role. He has held a variety of leadership roles at UAMS, including vice chancellor for clinical programs, CEO of the Medical Center, chief service line officer for the Integrated Clinical Enterprise and chair of the Department of Surgery.
“I am honored to be selected as vice chancellor for Regional Campuses and to continue to serve the Department of Family Medicine — two areas that are so important to the mission of UAMS,” said Turnage. “I am grateful to Dr. Patterson and Dr. Gardner for their confidence in me.”
Turnage earned his bachelor’s degree at Louisiana Tech University in Ruston, Louisiana, and then received his medical degree from the Louisiana State University School of Medicine in Shreveport in 1983. He completed his residency in general surgery at the University of Michigan Medical Center, serving as chief resident and completing a research fellowship before joining the faculty. He went on to hold faculty and clinical leadership posts at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center and Dallas VA Medical Center, and later at LSU Shreveport, where he served as chair of the Department of Surgery for seven years prior to joining UAMS.
UAMS is the state’s only health sciences university, with colleges of Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy, Health Professions and Public Health; a graduate school; a hospital; a main campus in Little Rock; a Northwest Arkansas regional campus in Fayetteville; a statewide network of regional campuses; and eight institutes: the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute, Jackson T. Stephens Spine & Neurosciences Institute, Harvey & Bernice Jones Eye Institute, Psychiatric Research Institute, Donald W. Reynolds Institute on Aging, Translational Research Institute, Institute for Digital Health & Innovation and the Institute for Community Health Innovation. UAMS includes UAMS Health, a statewide health system that encompasses all of UAMS’ clinical enterprise. UAMS is the only adult Level 1 trauma center in the state. UAMS has 3,275 students, 890 medical residents and fellows, and five dental residents. It is the state’s largest public employer with more than 12,000 employees, including 1,200 physicians who provide care to patients at UAMS, its regional campuses, Arkansas Children’s, the VA Medical Center and Baptist Health. Visit www.uams.edu or uamshealth.com. Find us on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), YouTube or Instagram.###