Philip Scherer Named Section Chief of Nuclear Medicine

The Department of Radiology and Radiological Sciences is proud to share that Philip Scherer, MD, will be the new Section Chief of Nuclear Medicine, effective March 1. Dr. Scherer succeeds Aaron Jessop, MD, MBA, who will be staying with VUMC Radiology through the end of June.

“I am deeply honored by the opportunity,” Dr. Scherer says. “During my time at VUMC, it has been a privilege to work with supportive faculty and staff in the Nuclear Medicine section and Radiology department.”

He continues: “Under Dr. Jessop’s leadership, our section has seen substantial expansion in clinical services (including new diagnostic and therapeutic agents), increased research collaborations with other VUMC departments, and strengthened educational endeavors. I look forward to the continued growth in Nuclear Medicine services, including theranostics. I am grateful for the mentorship and counsel from Dr. Omary, Dr. Allen, Dr. Jessop, and many others as I step into this role.”

“I will greatly miss working with the Vanderbilt team, especially the staff in Nuclear Medicine and the best colleagues I could ever have hoped to work with,” Dr. Jessop says. “Dr. Scherer rapidly became an essential asset to the Section of Nuclear Medicine after joining us in 2020. He has done an amazing job with the numerous roles and initiatives he has already taken on, and I know he will be outstanding in his new role as Section Chief.”

Reed Omary, MD, MS, Carol D. and Henry P. Pendergrass Professor and Chair, is excited by the recent accomplishments of the Nuclear Medicine team and looks forward to the section’s next chapter.

“I’m incredibly grateful for the steady and calm leadership of Dr. Jessop during a time of rapid change in our department,” Dr. Omary says. “We’re happy to welcome Dr. Scherer into his new role and can’t wait to see all that he’ll do as a leader.”

Dr. Scherer earned his undergraduate degree in Microbiology at Brigham Young University. He earned his medical degree from University of Florida College of Medicine. He completed a transitional year residency at University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, where he served as a chief resident. Dr. Scherer completed residency in Diagnostic Radiology at University of Florida College of Medicine and fellowship in Nuclear Medicine at Washington University School of Medicine in St Louis.

After spending four years at the University of Central Florida, Dr. Scherer joined the Vanderbilt faculty in 2020 as an Assistant Professor of Clinical Radiology & Radiological Sciences. In 2021, he was appointed Associate Program Director of the Nuclear Medicine Residency and Fellowship at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. In July 2022, he became the Program Director. Dr. Scherer currently serves as a member of the Pharmacy, Therapeutics, and Diagnostics Committee and Radiology Department Quality and Patient Safety Committee at VUMC.