College of Medicine – Tucson, Banner – University Medicine welcome new chair of neurology

The University of Arizona College of Medicine – Tucson and Banner – University Medicine appointed Dedrick Jordan, MD, PhD, MBA, as chair of the Department of Neurology, effective Nov. 5.

“We are very excited to have Dr. Jordan join the College of Medicine – Tucson. His demonstrated excellence in teaching, research and patient care will help us advance our tripartite mission and be a tremendous asset to our faculty, students and trainees, not only in the college but also with our clinical partners at Banner Health,” said Michael M.I. Abecassis, MD, MBA, the Inaugural Humberto and Czarina Lopez Endowed Dean of the College of Medicine – Tucson.

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Jordan joins the U of A College of Medicine – Tucson from Louisiana State University in Shreveport, Louisiana, where he was chairman of the Department of Neurology. He previously served as a professor of neurology and neurosurgery, the vice chair of strategy and analytics, and the medical director of the neuroscience clinical service unit at Duke University.

Jordan will serve in a clinical role at Banner – University Medical Center Tucson in addition to leading the Department of Neurology for the College of Medicine – Tucson. 

“Dr. Jordan’s extensive expertise in neurology and dedication to building effective clinical teams encapsulates our mission of improving the health of our community,” said Venkata Evani, MD, CEO of Banner – University Medical Group. “His leadership and experience will help grow our ability to serve and shape the future of medicine.” 

Jordan is renowned for his pioneering work in optimizing medication dosing for acute neurological illnesses and for developing innovative tools that leverage health analytics and artificial intelligence to enhance clinical decision making.

He is committed to leading the transformation of how health care is delivered by improving access, leading innovative research, and training with the next generation of clinicians and scientists.

His research has garnered funding from prestigious institutions, including the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, a division of the National Institutes of Health, and the Department of Defense, among others.

“I am deeply honored to be selected as chair of the Department of Neurology at the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Tucson, a prestigious institution recognized for its excellence,” Jordan said. “I look forward to expanding our department in collaboration with Banner Health to meet the increasing needs for advanced neurological care across our state and region.

“This role presents an incredible opportunity to further build on the outstanding research already being conducted within the department and the university,” he added. “I am excited to contribute to an organization that leads the way in developing innovative educational methods and programs for students and trainees in medicine and science.”

Jordan earned his medical degree and doctorate from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. He completed his internship and residency, followed by a neurocritical care fellowship, at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. More recently, he attained a Master of Business Administration with honors from the Quantic School of Business and Technology as well as a Master of Science in Quantitative Management with honors from the Fuqua School of Business at Duke University. His educational background underscores his unwavering commitment to both clinical and academic excellence.

Jordan is dedicated to mentoring the next generation of clinicians and scientists, seeing the direct link between quality education and access to high-quality health care in the community. He has won numerous awards for his teaching and clinical skills throughout his career.