Dear Colleagues:

Vikas P. Sukhatme MD ScD, Dean, Emory School of Medicine and Chief Academic Officer, Emory Healthcare, has decided to transition out of these administrative leadership roles effective March 5, 2023. He will continue to serve as a full-time faculty member in the School of Medicine, leading the Morningside Center for Innovative and Affordable Medicine (Morningside Center) and contributing to the “Clinics of the Future” initiative.

Vikas has been an invaluable leader throughout the health sciences with a strong commitment to discovery, education, and patient care. While we will greatly miss his contributions and efforts as a member of the leadership team, we are both supportive of Vikas’ desire to devote more time to family and delighted that he will continue advancing Emory’s missions, particularly through his work with the Morningside Center. As you may know, this Center was co-founded by Vikas and his wife Vidula Sukhatme, MS, to promote research, education, and advocacy regarding the critical need to repurpose drugs and other treatments that are not being pursued due to a lack of sufficient financial incentive.

Over the past five years, Vikas has developed and implemented important initiatives and strategies that have made major positive contributions to the School of Medicine, Emory Healthcare and the health sciences at Emory.

To name a few of his many contributions to the organization:

• Development and launch of the School of Medicine Excellence to Eminence strategic plan, which has included:
  • Recruitment of over 90 eminent faculty, including “game changers” whose transformative ideas in biomedical science could change the practice of medicine
  • Investment in the Imagine, Innovate, Impact awards (I3) program which has spurred collaboration and new ideas; these seed grants have resulted in an ROI of more than 6:1
  • Development of the first research strategic plan for Emory at Grady, which will provide leadership and infrastructure to bolster research efforts at this institution that is well-recognized for excellence in clinical care and teaching
  • Enhancement of research infrastructure including co-leadership of the development of Health Sciences Research Building II (HSRB II), Emory’s largest research building to date
  • Multiple initiatives to drive innovation and entrepreneurship

• Leadership of the education strategic plan with the vision to transform education across all degree programs in the SOM, incorporating novel content and pedagogical methods with a focus on lifelong learning
• Overseeing establishment of the first Diversity, Equity and Inclusion strategic plan for the School of Medicine
• Leadership throughout the COVID pandemic, ensuring the safety of our community and continuity of our services and mission
• Founding of the Morningside Center for Innovative and Affordable Medicine as an interdisciplinary unit within the Woodruff Health Sciences Center

The School of Medicine, Emory Healthcare, the Woodruff Health Sciences Center and the university at large have benefitted from Vikas’ thoughtful leadership founded on collaboration, innovation and excellence and a profound desire to question the status quo and make positive change.

We are grateful to Vikas for his commitment to ensuring a smooth transition and his continued guidance as we continue to build upon the outstanding progress he has made over the past five years.

In the coming weeks we will work together with incoming EVPHA Ravi Thadhani on future plans for School of Medicine leadership, and will communicate our progress to you as soon as possible. Please be assured that the executive team will continue to support you during this transition.

Kindly join us in wishing Vikas the very best in all his future endeavors.

Sincerely,
David and Ravi

David S. Stephens, MD
Interim Executive Vice President for Health Affairs
Interim Executive Director of the Woodruff Health Sciences Center

Ravi V. Bellamkonda, PhD
Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs