Eli Zimmerman, MD, has been named associate dean for student affairs at Feinberg, effective January 1, 2024.
In his new role, Zimmerman — who was previously associate vice chair for education and an associate professor of Neurology at Vanderbilt University — will work with medical students to ensure Feinberg’s mentorship, wellness and support systems meet their needs.
“Medical school is tough, and I want to ensure that we are helping students meet these challenges and develop strategies they can use as they move into residency and beyond,” Zimmerman said. “Having been a preclinical block director and a clerkship director for a while, I have heard directly from students a lot about what works and what doesn’t work educationally. I am looking forward to working with students, faculty and leadership to ensure students have the resources they need to learn — not just to pass a test or a block, but for keeps as a future physician.”
Originally from Lexington, Kentucky, Zimmerman graduated from Vanderbilt Medical School in 2010 and then completed his neurology residency and stroke fellowship at Massachusetts General Hospital and Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston. He returned to Vanderbilt in 2015 to join the neurology faculty, where he directed the vascular neurology fellowship and taught more than 200 medical students each year.
During his time at Vanderbilt, Zimmerman was recognized with multiple teaching awards, including the Shovel Award in 2019, given by the graduating medical school class to the faculty member who had the most meaningful impact on their medical education.
Zimmerman said his first few months at Feinberg will involve getting to know Feinberg’s medical students and listening to their perspectives. He’s also looking forward to guiding students through the match process, he said.
“I value mentoring and coaching immensely. I have always told students that the type of doctor we become is all about finding role models, identifying qualities you admire, and then making them your own,” Zimmerman said.
In his free time, Zimmerman enjoys baking, rock climbing, and spending time with his husband and their two dogs, who he hopes can make an appearance at the medical school.
“We will be living a quick walk away in River North with our dogs, Louis and Honey, both brown Cavapoos,” he said. “They will hopefully be frequent visitors to AWOME — their supply of snuggles is endless!”
