Welcome from the Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs - Appointments and Promotions

The Office of Faculty Affairs is committed to creating and supporting an environment where faculty members flourish and accomplish their immediate and long-term professional goals. VUSM faculty members have clinical, educational, and research roles that support the current state of medical care as well as prepare for the future of medicine through training and research. The Office of Faculty Affairs supports VUSM faculty members by providing clear guidance and assistance regarding the Appointment and Promotion process. This support allows faculty members to fulfill the VUSM mission of improving human health.


Saralyn Williams, M.D.

Saralyn Williams, M.D.

   

Dr. Williams is a Professor of Emergency Medicine with secondary appointments in Medicine and Pediatrics.  In 2023, she was named associate dean for Faculty Affairs to focus on support of the faculty with regard to appointments and promotions.  She graduated from Duke University School of Medicine and completed an internship in internal medicine at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. She completed her emergency medicine residency and medical toxicology fellowship at the University of California, San Diego, and remained on faculty at UCSD until 2006 when she was recruited to Vanderbilt to join the faculty as a medical toxicologist.

She is vice chair of Education for the Department of Emergency Medicine and oversees the educational programming in the department. She has served as the chair of the department’s Committee on Appointments, Promotions and Tenure since 2016. On a national level, she has served in several leadership roles with the American Board of Emergency Medicine including the sub-board for medical toxicology, appointments to several task forces, and as a senior oral board examiner. Williams was previously appointed to the Emergency Medicine Residency Review Committee (RRC) for the ACGME and serves on the ACGME board of appeals for the RRC. She was appointed to the editorial board for the journal Clinical Toxicology in 2006 and is an invited reviewer for other journals due to her toxicology expertise.

Williams has earned a number of teaching awards for renowned didactic and bedside teaching and also received a Vanderbilt CREDO award in 2012. In 2023 she received the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine Thomas A. Hazinski, MD, Award for effectiveness in mentoring and professional development of faculty.

Lindsey Patrick-Wright

Lindsey Patrick-Wright

   
Lindsey Patrick-Wright, Senior Program Manager, joined of Office of Faculty Affairs in 2022.  She partners with Dr. Williams to ensure that all faculty actions are ready for review and approval and that faculty dossiers are well prepared to meet the high standards set by the School of Medicine.  She supports the academic departments by working closely with the administrators to assist with navigating the appointments and promotions process.