Professor and Chair of Internal Medicine

Department: Internal Medicine

Patricia J. Sime, M.D., FRCP, was drawn to VCU by its excellence in research, education, and clinical programs. She began her appointment as the first female Chair of the Department of Internal Medicine on July 1, 2019, after serving as the first female Division Chief of Pulmonary and Critical Care and Vice Chair of Research in the Department of Medicine (DOM) at the University of Rochester Medical Center (URMC), where she continues to serve as Adjunct Professor of Medicine. At VCU, she is an Affiliate in two departments as well as a Research Member with the Massey Cancer Center.

Dr. Sime holds leadership roles in a number of societies, associations, and foundations. Ron Clark, M.D., Chief Medical Officer of VCUMC states that Dr. Sime quickly emerged as "a leader among leaders" at VCU, assuming the role of chair shortly before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in a department that was "at the epicenter of the clinical response." Dr. Sime played a critical role in helping VCU navigate the pandemic.

In her three years at VCU, Dr. Sime has served on nearly 330 committees. She also serves on national committees, organizes international conferences, reviews national as well as international grants and journals, edits the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, and provides her expertise to a myriad of organizations.

Dr. Sime holds degrees and specialty certifications in the fields of internal medicine and pulmonary diseases, and she has received numerous awards, honors and distinctions. While at the URMC, she organized the Women in Medicine Career and Mentoring Program and received a university-wide award for mentoring. In 2017 she won the American Thoracic Society (ATS) Parker B. Francis Award for "outstanding contributions to advancement of respiratory medicine and science." In 2019,she received the Journal of Lipid Research Lectureship Award. Earlier this year, Dr. Sime received the prestigious Elizabeth A. Rich award, given to a female member of the ATS who made significant contributions in the fields of pulmonary, critical care and sleep medicine.

Dr. Sime has served as co-investigator and principal investigator on clinical trials. Her publications include 164 original manuscripts, 17 book chapters, and 231 abstracts. As a prolific and esteemed speaker, she is invited to lecture at academic institutions throughout the world. She also holds three patents in the area of lung fibrosis and inflammation with another patent pending. In her role as physician-scientist, Dr. Sime leads a research team focused on identifying and developing new therapeutic targets for patients with lung scarring and inflammatory lung diseases. Her research over the past 20 years has been continuously funded by the NNIH, and she has also received grants from the Department of Defense and various foundations.

Devoting her career to mentorship, Dr. Sime has trained and supervised students at all levels of their education as well as pulmonary fellows and trainees, many of whom have won awards, crediting her mentorship for their successes. Josly Pierre-Louis made history at VCU as the first recipient of the Ford Foundation Pre-Doctoral Fellowship award and won other awards that led to collaborations and recognition that would have been impossible without Dr. Sime's endorsement. According to Curtis N. Sessler, M.D., an Orhan Muren Distinguished Professor of Medicine at VCU SOM, Dr. Sime's career "reflects that of a true quadruple-threat academician, excelling in teaching and mentorship, research and scholarship, administrative service and leadership, and patient care." He added, "To all who know her, she is a wonderful colleague and leader who brings an amazing work ethic combined with an unyielding positive attitude and delightful sense of humor."

Back to Listing