Dr. Cam Patterson leaving chancellor post, will return to classroom

The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Chancellor Dr. Cam Patterson announced in an email Tuesday (June 10) that he will soon step aside as chancellor, but he will be staying on staff.

Patterson hinted that time constraints were the biggest driver in his decision.

“Medical and personal issues require more attention than I can provide them in my current role,” he said.

Patterson was hired in June 2018 to lead UAMS. A cardiologist with administrative experience prior to coming to UAMS, he has led the university’s hospital, research and teaching institutions through a worldwide pandemic, efforts to earn a designation as a National Cancer Institute campus, and more solid financial footing.

Patterson said he will return to the classroom and teach cardiovascular medicine.

There was no timeline for his departure from the role as chancellor. Patterson said he would work with University of Arkansas System President Jay Silveria and help with a transition.

“Leading UAMS is a demanding task, and I appreciate Dr. Patterson’s need to do what he feels is best for himself and his family and for the long-term success of the university,” said Silveria. “His contributions to UAMS came through unusually restrictive times, and he should be celebrated for his efforts to push the institution forward while navigating a challenging environment. I wish Dr. Patterson and his family well moving forward and thank him for his service to UAMS and the UA System.”

The full email from Patterson reads:

Dear Team UAMS,

June 1, I celebrated my seventh anniversary as chancellor. Working with you and leading UAMS has been one of the greatest honors of my life.

From the moment I first visited UAMS during my recruitment, I was blown away not only by the clinical, educational and research excellence that goes on here every day but by your warmth and the way in which you care so deeply for the state in which we live. You welcomed Kris and I and our family with open arms. You taught us so much, sharing information on everything from volunteer opportunities for our kids to the best places to go fly-fishing. We knew right away that Arkansas was a place we wanted to call home.

I will be forever grateful for your support. That’s why it is with mixed emotions that I share with you that I have notified University of Arkansas System President Jay Silveria that I will be stepping down as chancellor once a transition plan is in place. Medical and personal issues require more attention than I can provide them in my current role. I will continue as Professor in the Division of Cardiovascular Medicine in the College of Medicine after my term as chancellor ends. I am excited to return to the faculty and engage more deeply in our academic and clinical missions.

I am committed to helping support President Silveria and the University of Arkansas Board of Trustees as they work to select the next chancellor for UAMS.

We have a lot to be proud of over the last 7-plus years and I’ve been the luckiest guy in the world to have been a part of it.