UAMS appoints Richard Turnage to oversee regional campuses

HealthcareNews Briefs

by Paul Gatling ([email protected]) December 7, 2021 3:02 pm 751 views 

The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) on Tuesday (Dec. 7) named Dr. Richard Turnage as its new vice chancellor for regional campuses. He succeeds Amy Wenger, who was promoted in October to vice chancellor of the regional campus in Fayetteville.

Turnage’s appointment begins immediately, according to a UAMS news release. UAMS has eight regional campuses in Arkansas. A ninth is under construction in El Dorado.

“Richard is a proven leader here at UAMS,” UAMS Chancellor Dr. Cam Patterson said in a statement. “I know he will do great things as vice chancellor for regional campuses.”

Turnage is currently 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.

“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,” Turnage said in a statement. “I am grateful to Dr. Patterson and [provost] Dr. [Stephanie] Gardner for their confidence in me.”

Turnage has held various 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.

Turnage earned a bachelor’s degree at Louisiana Tech University in and then received a 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, based in Little Rock, is the state’s largest public employer and the state’s only health sciences university.