Department of Medicine

Our Team

The leadership of the Department of Medicine at Tufts Medical Center provides our Divisions with strong guidance and support. They work hard with the Divisional leadership to ensure that the clinical, research and training goals of the Department are met.

Physician-in-Chief
 
Dr. Karen Freund is the Physician-in-Chief for the Department of Medicine at Tufts Medical Center. She is trained and board certified as a general internist and primary care physician, and is also board certified in preventive medicine. She joined Tufts Medical Center in 2012 and maintains an active practice in general medicine.
 
Dr. Freund is a national expert in women’s health and health care to minority and low income populations. She has an active research program with over 120 publications.  She is recognized for her skills in mentorship and oversees mentorship programs within the Department for medical educators and clinician scientists

Richard Kopelman, MD, FACP 
Vice-Chairman for Education

Dr. Richard Kopelman is the Vice-Chair for Education in the Department of Medicine and the Louisa C. Endicott Professor of Medicine at Tufts University School of Medicine.

Dr. Kopleman was one of the first faculty members of the Division of General Medicine when it was created in the early 1980s. Since then he has been acting chief of the division on several occasions. His academic pursuits have been in the areas of hypertension and clinical problem solving. He also maintains an active practice in general medicine and is regularly listed as one of Boston's "Best Doctors".

Administrative Assistant: Anita Yu

Sucharita Kher, MD
Vice Chair for Clinical Operations and Quality

Dr. Sucharita Kher is the Vice Chair for Quality Improvement and Faculty Affairs in the Department of Medicine at Tufts Medical Center. In this Vice Chair role, she will collaborate with the team in the Department and oversee the Directors of Inpatient and Ambulatory Services to build on the Department’s outstanding inpatient and ambulatory care and to ensure an environment that promotes delivery of safe, high quality and patient-centered care. 

Dr. Kher is a physician in the Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine. Her areas of expertise include asthma and COPD. She is an avid advocate for tobacco control. In her former role as the Director of Inpatient Services, Sucharita has led the implementation of process and quality improvement projects focused on clinical care and education, including an orientation platform for new attendings, a hospital-at-home initiative, and the inpatient glycemic control service. In the last year, she has overseen expansion of the wards services during the COVID surge. 

 

James E. Udelson, MD 
Chief, Cardiology
Director, Nuclear Cardiology Laboratory

Harry Selker, MD, MSPH 
Chief, Clinical Care Research

John B. Wong, MD 
Chief, Clinical Decision Making

Edward Saltzman, MD 
Chief, Clinical Nutrition 
Director, Adult Nutrition Support Services

Anastassios G. Pittas, MD
Chief, Endocrinology  

Debra D. Poutsiaka, MD, PhD 
Interim Chief, Geographic Medicine and Infectious Disease

Rachel Buchsbaum, MD
Chief, Hematology/Oncology 

Mark J. Sarnak, MD, MS
Chief, Nephrology

Nicholas Hill, MD 
Chief, Pulmonology, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine

Timothy McAlindon, MD, MPH 
Chief, Rheumatology