Dr. Anderson Spickard, Jr. retired on April 30, 2008 and was promoted to the rank of Professor of Medicine, Emeritus after 45 years of service to Vanderbilt. He was active in the treatment of patients with substance abuse problems for over 40 years. In recent years, Dr. Spickard focused on physician health and behavior. Prior to retiring, he was Professor of Medicine and Psychiatry and Chancellor's Chair in Medicine at the Vanderbilt University Medical Center and Medical Director of the Center for Professional Health (CPH). The CPH offers continuing medical education courses for physicians, including: Proper Prescribing of Controlled Drugs, Maintaining Proper Boundaries, and the Program for Distressed Physicians. Dr. Spickard also served as the Chairman of the Vanderbilt Faculty & Physician Wellness Committee, a committee organized to address the issues of physician/faculty well being. In June 2003, Dr. Spickard was awarded the Chancellor's Chair in Medicine for his contributions to research and addiction related to physician wellness.

Dr. Spickard is a nationally recognized expert in the area of substance abuse. He is the co-author of the book, Dying for a Drink: What You and Your Family Should Know about Alcoholism, which was translated into seven languages as well as braille. The revised edition was released in November 2005.

Dr. Spickard has received many awards for his contributions to the field of substance abuse, including the Special Recognition award for Outstanding Leadership and Contributions in the Field of Alcohol and Drug Abuse from the Mid-Cumberland Council on Alcohol and Drugs in Nashville, TN, and the Alexander Heard Distinguished Service Professor Award in May 1989. The latter award is given to a full-time Vanderbilt University faculty member for distinctive contributions to the problems of contemporary society. Dr. Spickard was also awarded the 1996 AMERSA John P. McGovern Award for Excellence in Research and Medical Education in Substance Abuse.

Dr. Anderson is the past President of AMERSA (Association for Medical Education and Research in Substance Abuse). He was the founder and medical director for 12 years of the Vanderbilt Institute for Treatment of Addiction (VITA), an inpatient and intensive outpatient treatment program for persons with substance dependence, which provides an education and training site for residents and medical students.

(Biosketch courtesy of Anderson Spickard, Jr.)