The list of finalists for the 2025 Health Care Heroes Awards released this week by the Memphis Business Journal illustrates the University of Tennessee Health Science Center’s broad and deep impact on clinical care in the Memphis community.
More than half of the 25 finalists are associated in some manner with UT Health Science Center.
This marks the second time in recent weeks UT Health Science Center’s clinical excellence has been recognized. A majority of the Memphis physicians on the 2025 Top Doctor’s list from national health care research firm Castle Connolly are affiliated with the university. The list was released in June by Memphis Magazine.
UT Health Science Center physicians, nurses, dentists, pharmacists, and other health care professionals from all the colleges provide care for patients at partner hospitals in Memphis. These include Regional One Health, Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare, Baptist Memorial Health Care, LT. Col. Luke Weathers, Jr. (Memphis) VA Medical Center, and Saint Francis Hospital.
UT Health Science Center physicians also serve on the staff at esteemed clinical practice partners, including Semmes Murphey Clinic, West Cancer Center and Research Institute, University Clinical Health, and Campbell Clinic Orthopaedics.
Statewide, UT Health Science Center physicians are among the staff at Ascension Saint Thomas Hospital in Nashville, Erlanger Health System in Chattanooga, The University of Tennessee Medical Center in Knoxville, and West Tennessee Healthcare – Jackson Madison County General Hospital in Jackson.
“Our clinical partnerships in Memphis and across the state are valuable to us and to the health of the people of Tennessee,” said Chancellor Peter Buckley, MD. “Our esteemed Health Care Heroes finalists illustrate that we are stronger when we work together.”
The annual awards honor organizations, companies, and individuals for their contributions to health care in Memphis and the Mid-South. Candidates were nominated by their respective institutions or the public. Awards are presented in the categories of Administrative Excellence, Community Outreach, Health Care Innovations, Health Care Provider-Physician, and Health Care Provider Non-Physician.
The finalists affiliated with UT Health Science Center and partner institutions include:
Administrative Excellence
- Dmitry Yaranov, MD, assistant professor in the UT Health Science Center Department of Cardiology; Baptist Memorial Health Care; Stern Cardiovascular
Community Outreach
- Chinelo Animalu, MD, associate professor, Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases at UT Health Science Center; Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare; UT-Methodist Physician Group
- Lisa Beasley, DNP, associate professor and director of the Center for Community and Global Partnerships in the UT Health Science Center College of Nursing
- The Center for Youth Advocacy and Well-Being at UT Health Science Center, celebrating 10 years of operation
Health Care Innovations
- Tim Jancelewicz, MD, professor in the Department of Surgery, Division of Pediatric Surgery at UT Health Science Center; Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital
- Jaw in a Day team, five surgeons from different specialties at UT Health Science Center who collaborated to perform the first “Jaw in a Day” surgery in the Mid-South; Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare
- PopCheck Technologies, founder Erika Dillard, MD, PhD, UT Health Science Center graduate.
Health Care Provider, Non-Physician
- Roland Dickerson, PharmD, professor in the Department of Clinical Pharmacy & Translational Science in the UT Health Science Center College of Pharmacy; Regional One Health
- Rita Hollingsworth, DNP, assistant professor in the Department of Community and Population Health in the UT Health Science Center College of Nursing; the UTHSC Nursing Mobile Health Unit, Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital
Health Care Provider, Physician
- Sonia Eden, MD, associate professor in the Department of Neurosurgery, College of Medicine, at UT Health Science Center; Baptist Memorial Health Care; Semmes Murphey Clinic
- Derek Kelly, MD, associate professor, residency program director, pediatric orthopaedics at UT Health Science Center; Campbell Clinic; Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital
- Paul Klimo, MD, professor in the Department of Neurosurgery, chief of pediatric neurosurgery, pediatric neurosurgery fellowship program director at UT Health Science Center; Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital; Semmes Murphey Clinic; St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital
- Jeffrey Nelson, MD, assistant professor in the Division of General Internal Medicine in the Department of Medicine at UT Health Science Center; Regional One Health; University Clinical Health
- Swapna Thota, MD, associate professor in the Division of Hematology in the Department of Medicine at UT Health Science Center; St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital
All the finalists will be honored and the winners announced at an event at the Memphis Botanic Garden on Thursday, August 14, from 5:30–8 p.m. The winners will all be profiled in the publication’s August 15 weekly edition. The full list of finalists is available at the Memphis Business Journal’s website.
First Horizon is the presenting sponsor of Health Care Heroes. The Gold Sponsors are BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee and the Memphis Medical District Collaborative.
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