Ramona Rhodes, M.D.

Ramona Rhodes, M.D. is an Associate Professor in the Department of Internal Medicine at UT Southwestern Medical Center and a member of its Division of Geriatrics. She specializes in geriatrics, hospice, and palliative medicine.

Dr. Rhodes earned her medical degree at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. She received internal medicine residency training at MetroHealth Medical Center and Case Western Reserve University, and advanced training through a geriatric medicine fellowship at Rhode Island Hospital and a health services research fellowship at Brown University, where she also earned a master’s degree in public health. She also holds a master's degree in clinical science at UT Southwestern.

Certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine in geriatric medicine, hospice, and palliative medicine, Dr. Rhodes joined the UT Southwestern faculty in 2009.

Dr. Rhodes has delivered scores of national and regional invited lectures, contributed to the The Oxford Handbook of Ethics at the End of Life and The 5-Minute Consult Clinical Companion to Women's Health, and published numerous academic articles related to her areas of expertise. She has also served as a research mentor to residents, fellows, medical students, faculty, and Ph.D. candidates.

Personal Note

In her free time, Dr. Rhodes enjoys spending time with her husband and daughter, playing with her dogs, raising indoor plants, and going to sporting events.

Medical School

University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences College of Medicine (2000)

Internship

Case Western Reserve/MetroHealth Medical Center (2001), Internal Medicine

Residency

Case Western Reserve/MetroHealth Medical Center (2003), Internal Medicine

Other Post Graduate Training

Brown University (2006)

Fellowship

Brown University (2006), Geriatric Medicine

Research Fellowship

Brown University (2006), Health Services Research

• End-of-life care
• Long-term care
• Racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic disparities in elderly persons

Featured Publications

Barriers to End-of-Life Care for African Americans From the Providers' Perspective: Opportunity for Intervention Development.

Rhodes RL, Batchelor K, Lee SC, Halm EA Am J Hosp Palliat Care 2013 Oct

An Examination of End-of-Life Care in a Safety Net Hospital System: A Decade in Review.

Rhodes RL, Xuan L, Paulk ME, Stieglitz H, Halm EA J Health Care Poor Underserved 2013 24 4 1666-75

Communication about Advance Directives and End-of-Life Care Options among Internal Medicine Residents

Rhodes RL, Tindall K, Xuan L, Halm EA American Journal of Hospice and Palliative Medicine 2013

Does feeding tube insertion and its timing improve survival?

Teno JM, Gozalo PL, Mitchell SL, Kuo S, Rhodes RL, Bynum JP, Mor V J Am Geriatr Soc 2012 Oct 60 10 1918-21

African American bereaved family members' perceptions of hospice quality: do hospices with high proportions of African Americans do better?

Rhodes RL, Xuan L, Halm EA J Palliat Med 2012 Oct 15 10 1137-41

Decision-making and outcomes of feeding tube insertion: a five-state study.

Teno JM, Mitchell SL, Kuo SK, Gozalo PL, Rhodes RL, Lima JC, Mor V J Am Geriatr Soc 2011 May 59 5 881-6

Comfort feeding only: a proposal to bring clarity to decision-making regarding difficulty with eating for persons with advanced dementia.

Palecek EJ, Teno JM, Casarett DJ, Hanson LC, Rhodes RL, Mitchell SL J Am Geriatr Soc 2010 Mar 58 3 580-4

What’s Race Got to Do With It?

Rhodes R, Teno JM Journal of Clinical Oncology 2009 27 33

The Natural History of Feeding Tube Use in Nursing Home Residents with Advanced Dementia

Kuo S, Rhodes RL, Mitchell SL, Mor V, Teno JM Journal of the American Medical Directors Association 2009 10 264-270

Bereaved Family Members’ Evaluation of Hospice Care: What Factors Influence Overall Satisfaction with Services?

Rhodes RL, Mitchell SL, Miller SC, Connor SR Journal of Pain and Symptom Management 2008 35 365-371

• Fellow of the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine (FAAHPM)
  (2017)
• American Geriatrics Society Fellow (AGSF)
  American Geriatrics Society (2013)
• LEAD (Leadership Emerging in Academic Departments) Program for Junior Faculty Physicians and Scientists
  Inaugural Cohort of Faculty Leadership Training Program (2013)
• Outstanding Committee Service Award
  American Geriatrics Society Ethics Committee (2013)
• Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) Early Career Women Faculty Professional Development Seminar Participant
  Nominated by the UT Southwestern Office Faculty Diversity and Development (2012)
• New Investigator Award
  American Geriatrics Society (2010)
• Haffenreffer Fellowship Excellence Award
  Rhode Island Hospital Graduate Medical Education Department (2006)
• James R. and Susan G. Carter Humanitarian Award
  MetroHealth Medical Center, Department of Internal Medicine (2003)

• American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine
• American College of Physicians
• American Geriatrics Society
• National Medical Association