Program Director
Dr. Leahy has been an internist for greater than 40 years both inpatient and hospitalist practices, serving in multiple capacities as a medical director, head of the Medicare review organization for the state of Tennessee and Chief of the Medical Staff at Tennova Health. He has taught medical students and residents for many years.
BiographyChair, Department of Medicine & Associate Program Director
Dr. Osareme Irivbogbe (Dr. Anthony) is an interventional cardiologist with Tennova Heart in Knoxville, Tennessee where he lives and practices. After graduating from the University Benin College of Medicine in his native country of Nigeria, Dr. Anthony continued his career in medicine first as a medical officer in Sangre Grande County Hospital in the Caribbean nation of Trinidad and Tobago. Following that, hecompleted a residency in internal medicine at Woodhull Medical and Mental Health Center in Brooklyn, New York.
BiographyAssociate Program Director
Dr. Paterson is a hospitalist at Tennova Health – Knoxville who obtained her medical degree at Lincoln Memorial University DeBusk School of Medicine and completed residency at East Tennessee State University Quillen College of Medicine. She is excited to have the honor of ushering in the newest physicians through internal medicine training in a way that prepares them for excellence in their careers and wellness in their personal lives.
BiographyAssociate Program Director
Dr. Damron is a Board-Certified Internal Medicine physician who has been a hospitalist for 20 of his 38 years in medicine. He completed medical school at University of Oklahoma College of Medicine, an internship at University of Kansas College of Medicine and finished out residency at Portsmouth Naval Hospital in Portsmouth, Virginia.
BiographyCore Faculty & Subspecialty Education Coordinator
Dr. Neil G. Barry IV, DO, MBA is a native of Middlesboro, Kentucky and a graduate of Lincoln Memorial University DeBusk College of Osteopathic Medicine, Class of 2013. He completed Internal Medicine Residency at East Tennessee State University Quillen College of Medicine and Cardiology and Interventional Cardiology Fellowships at the University of Louisville where he also served as Chief Fellow. Dr. Barry has been a full time interventional cardiologist with Tennova Heart since 2020 and currently serves as the medical director for the TAVR program.
BiographyCore Faculty
A native Knoxvillian, Dr. Lee has practiced community Medical Oncology for thirty years, splitting time equally between the urban Knoxville community and outreach clinics in rural Appalachian communities. His passion is providing high-quality, up-to-date care to people with malignancies and blood disorders, especially in underserved populations.
BiographyCore Faculty & Subspecialty Education Coordinator
Dr. Jennifer Phemister received her medical degree and completed her internal medicine residency and gastroenterology fellowship training at East Tennessee State University Quillen College of Medicine. Dr. Phemister treats a broad range of gastroenterological diseases, including pancreas, stomach and colon disorders. She says the variety of procedures as well as inpatient and outpatient treatments drew her to gastroenterology.
BiographyLeslie Fitzgerald, M.D. – Critical Care Medicine & Pulmonary Disease
Subspecialty Education Coordinator
Amit Vora, M.D. – Endocrinology
Subspecialty Education Coordinator
Karen Rhea, M.D. – Geriatric Medicine
Subspecialty Education Coordinator
J. Davis Allan, M.D. – Infectious Disease
Subspecialty Education Coordinator
Marcia Williams-Lyons, M.D. – Nephrology
Subspecialty Education Coordinator
Jay Warrick, M.D. – Rheumatology
Subspecialty Education Coordinator
Yasir Akhtar, MBBS – Cardiovascular Diseases
Teaching Faculty
Malcolm Foster, M.D. – Cardiovascular Diseases
Teaching Faculty & Clinical Research Director
Gena Kluwe, M.D. – Hospice/Palliative Care & Addiction Medicine
Teaching Faculty
Suresh Kumar, M.D., Ph.D. – Nephrology
Teaching Faculty
Amy Bentley, M.D. – Internal Medicine
Teaching Faculty
Elizabeth Hull, M.D. – Emergency Medicine
Teaching Faculty
Lalitha Battineni, M.D. – Neurology
Teaching Faculty
Robert Capps, M.D. – Rheumatology
Teaching Faculty
Mohammed Kabir, M.D. – Pulmonary Medicine
Teaching Faculty
Frank Beuerlein, M.D. – Quality & Patient Safety
Teaching Faculty
Fernando Del Ray, M.D. – Hospital Medicine
Teaching Faculty
Jigar Panchal, M.D. – Hospital Medicine
Teaching Faculty
Adalib Hossain, M.D. – Hospital Medicine
Teaching Faculty
Kajan Mahadevan, M.D. – Hospital Medicine
Teaching Faculty
Janet Pickstock, M.D. – Hospital Medicine
Teaching Faculty