Kevin Wayne Sexton MD (He/Him)

General Surgery•Nashville, TN

Clinical Informatics

Vice Chair for Innovation Professor of Surgery

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3601 The Vanderbilt ClinicNashville, TN 37232
Phone+1 615-322-5000

Summary

I am a surgeon-scientist with board certifications in Surgery and Clinical Informatics. I serve as Professor of Surgery and Vice Chair of Innovation for the Section of Surgical Sciences at Vanderbilt University. Previously, I was Associate Chief Clinical Informatics Officer for Innovation, Research, and Entrepreneurship at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS), the Associate Director of the UAMS Institute for Digital Health & Innovation, and President of BioVentures, LLC (the UAMS technology transfer office).

My work centers on innovation education and entrepreneurial science in healthcare, aiming to bridge the gap between technological advancements and practical clinical applications.

I have a track record of extramural funding from the National Institute of Health, Health Resources and Services Administration, Department of Defense, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service Administration, and the United States Department of Commerce among others.

I have been involved with health tech startups for the last 15 years and currently serves as an advisor to companies such as hDrop Technologies, Inc., Decisio Health, Inc., HoopCare, Inc., Qventus, Inc, and Doximity, Inc. I am also a professional coach who specializes in working with healthcare executives and healthcare software companies.

Education & Training

Vanderbilt University Medical CenterResidency, Surgery, 2007 - 2015
Vanderbilt University Medical CenterPost-Doctoral Fellowship, 2011 - 2013
Vanderbilt University Medical CenterPost-Doctoral Fellowship, 2010 - 2011
University of Kentucky College of MedicineClass of 2007
University of KentuckyB.S., Biology, Summa Cum Laude, 1998 - 2002

Certifications & Licensure

TN State Medical License 2010 - 2028
AR State Medical License 2015 - 2027
American Board of Preventive Medicine Clinical Informatics
American Board of Surgery Surgery

Awards, Honors, & Recognition

Phi Beta Kappa University of Kentucky, 2002
Administrative Chief Resident, General Surgery Vanderbilt University Medical Center, 2014
Alfred Blalock Surgical Resident Award for Excellence in Research Vanderbilt University Medical Center, 2013
AAS Outstanding Resident Research Award, Basic Science Academic Surgical Congress, 2012
Outstanding Paper by a New Member AAS, 2012
Basic Science Award Southeastern Society of Plastic Surgeons Meeting, 2012
Travel Scholarship Society of Vascular Surgery, 2011
Research Fellowship Award Ethicon-Society of University Surgeons, 2010
House Staff Clinical Teaching Award Vanderbilt University Medical Center, 2010
VUMC Friend of the Surgical ICU Vanderbilt University Medical Center, 2009
Friend of the Surgical ICU Vanderbilt University Medical Center, 2009
Academic Excellence Scholarship University of Kentucky College of Medicine, 2005, 2006, 2007
UK Chapter of Alpha Omega Alpha Good Physician Award University of Kentucky College of Medicine, 2007
Albert B. Chandler Award University of Kentucky College of Medicine, 2007
Member Alpha Omega Alpha, 2006
Best Teaching Evaluation Department of Pathology, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, 2004, 2005
Beale Primary Care Scholarship University of Kentucky College of Medicine, 2002, 2003
McCauley Scholarship University of Kentucky College of Medicine, 2003
Wethington Fellowship University of Kentucky College of Medicine, 2002
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Publications & Presentations

PubMed

Race Is an Incomplete Surrogate for Skin Pigmentation in Neonates, with Potential Relevance for Pulse Oximetry.
Megha Sharma, Andrew W Brown, Simon Chung, Kevin W Sexton, Mario Schootman
The Journal of Pediatrics. 2025-11-01
Socio-technical Needs of Registered Nurses in the Heart Failure Hospitalizations of African Americans: A Cross-sectional Study.
Tremaine Brueon Williams, Milan Bimali, Maryam Y Garza, Pearman Parker, Chase Paladino-Vaden
JMIR Nursing. 2025-10-06
A Qualitative Study of Social Processes, HPV Vaccine Attitudes, and Vaccination Behavior Among Hesitant Adopter Parents.
Ramey Moore, Rachel S Purvis, Don E Willis, Ji Li, Sara Sorrell
Clinical Pediatrics. 2025-10-01

Books/Book Chapters

Vanderbilt Intern Survival Guide
Scally C, Sexton KW, Terhune K2013
The Little Blue Book: Pocket Guide for the Clinical Clerkship
Manning, M; Manning, E; Raves, J; Sallee, J; Sexton, KW; Schuler, KM; Wilson, J2005

Authored Content

Opinion: Improve Employee Health Using Behavioral EconomicsFebruary 2022

Press Mentions

Arkansas Health Systems Embrace AI & Advanced Tech to Improve OutcomesJune 9th, 2025
Joseph Sanford, M.D., Appointed Director of UAMS Institute for Digital Health & InnovationFebruary 9th, 2021

Grant Support

Trauma Institutional Priorities and Teams for Outcome Efficacy (TIPTOE)UNIV OF ARKANSAS FOR MED SCIS2015–2026
J. NRSA TrainingUNIV OF ARKANSAS FOR MED SCIS2019–2025
Development of Class II Medical Device for Clinical Translation of a Novel PEG Fusion Method for Immediate Physiological Recovery after Peripheral Nerve InjuryDepartment of Defense2013–2016
Early Detection of Patients at Risk for Development of Hospital Acquired Pressure UlcersVanderbilt Institute for Clinical and Translational Research AwardPresent

Committees

Working Group Chair, AMIA Surgical and Procedural Informatics Working Group 2023 - 2024

Research History

Research Fellow, Department of Plastic SurgeryPI: Wes P. Thayer, M.D., Ph.D.2011 - 2013
Research Fellow, Department of General Surgery, Division of Vascular SurgeryPI: Colleen Brophy, M.D.2010 - 2011

Professional Memberships

Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society - AOA
Member
Association for Academic Surgery - AAS
Member
American College of Surgeons - ACS
Member

External Links

LinkedInhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/kwsexton