James S. Powers, MD

James S. Powers, MD received a BA cum laude from Wesleyan University (CT) in 1973 and MD with Distinction in Research from the University of Rochester (NY) in 1977 followed by residency in Internal Medicine at Cleveland Clinic and Case Western Reserve University Hospitals 1977-80. He served in the USPHS National Health Service Corps 1980-83 following which he was recruited to Vanderbilt to develop a Geriatric Medicine Program within the Division of General Internal Medicine.

Dr. Powers is Associate Professor of Medicine as well as Associate Professor of Gerontologic Nursing, Department of Family and Community Health. Author of over 75 papers, books, and book chapters he has devoted his academic career to Geriatric Nutrition, Education, and Healthcare Quality and Safety. He has mentored over 1200 trainees while at Vanderbilt and holds Fellowship in the American College of Physicians, American College of Nutrition, American Geriatrics Society, Gerontologic Society of America, and the Royal Society of Medicine. He serves as the Associate Clinical Director for the VA Tennessee Valley Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center, and Program Director for the Vanderbilt Geriatric Fellowship.

Dr. Powers’ research interests include educational outcome evaluation, aging body composition, and models of geriatric care. He is PI of the Vanderbilt-Reynolds Geriatric Education Program, Co-PI of the Meharry Geriatric Education Center, and leads numerous clinical demonstration projects for the TVHS GRECC concerned with falls prevention, caregiver support, and treatment of agitated dementia, and health systems improvement.