Professor of Medicine
Division
Infectious Diseases

Professor of Medicine, Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases

Chief Hospital Epidemiologist, Vanderbilt University Medical Center

Professional Bio

Thomas R. Talbot, MD, MPH, is a Professor of Medicine in the Division of Infectious Diseases within the Department of Medicine and serves as the Chief Hospital Epidemiologist for Vanderbilt University Medical Center.  

Dr. Talbot is a recognized expert in the field of healthcare epidemiology and infection prevention and has more than 130 publications in peer-reviewed journals, with original research studies focusing on healthcare personnel vaccination, healthcare-associated infection (HAI) surveillance, and improving hand hygiene as a tool to drive a culture of safety.  

He has served as a member of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Healthcare Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee (HICPAC) and is currently on the Board of Directors for the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America (SHEA), serving as the Vice-President in 2022, President-Elect in 2023, and President in 2024.

At VUMC Dr. Talbot is responsible for the development of operational policies and practices to prevent HAIs and the spread of highly concerning pathogens in the healthcare setting, the monitoring and surveillance of HAI process and outcome measures, and the implementation of quality improvement efforts to reduce patient harm from HAIs.

Education

MD - Vanderbilt University - 1996
Residency - Internal Medicine - Johns Hopkins Hospital - 1999
MPH - Vanderbilt University - 2003
Fellowship - Infectious Diseases - Vanderbilt University - 2003