Vivyenne Roche, M.D, AGSF, FACP, a dedicated physician and educator who introduced thousands of future physicians to the rewards of treating geriatric patients, has been named Professor Emeritus of Internal Medicine.

For over 24 years, Dr. Roche balanced her passion for teaching with her drive to care for older adults. She expressed her gratitude to UT Southwestern for its nurturing environment that allowed her to care for patients while improving their quality of life, optimizing their function, minimizing complications, and promoting their independence.

“I am very thankful to have worked with exceptional faculty, trainees, patients, and caregivers,” she said. “It has been humbling and a privilege to be a physician at UT Southwestern.”

Throughout her career, Dr. Roche has been recognized for her dedication to geriatric medicine with numerous awards, said Craig Rubin, M.D., Chief of the Division of Geriatric Medicine and Professor of Internal Medicine.

“Dr. Roche has made extraordinary contributions to clinical care and undergraduate and graduate medical education at UT Southwestern,” he said. “For 24 years, her colleagues, trainees, and patients have recognized her passion and skills in the care of older adults.”

Her enthusiasm for teaching was matched only by her dedication to treating older adults. Dr. Roche’s skills as a physician were further acknowledged in 2022 when the Tom and Charlene Marsh Family Foundation established the Professorship in Geriatric Medicine in her honor. Geriatric medicine has been especially rewarding because patients often share so much about their lives as they age, said Dr. Roche, a Distinguished Teaching Professor.

“Patients place their trust in you and share areas of their lives that are often very personal, remarkable, and even surprising at times,” she said. “There is no other profession in which people share things that matter so much to them.”

Another of Dr. Roche’s passions is medical education. She developed the curriculum for UT Southwestern’s Frontiers in Aging medical student elective, served as course director until her retirement in 2023, and continues to be involved in this class. She also initiated the Chief Resident Immersion Training (CRIT) program at UTSW, instructing more than 100 chief residents from 18 subspecialties in fundamental geriatric principles.

In 2016, she was elected to the UT Southwestern Academy of Teachers (SWAT), becoming President in 2022. Dr. Roche was inducted into the UT System’s Kenneth I. Shine, M.D., Academy of Health Science Education in 2019. She started the Geriatric Medicine Fellowship Program in 1999, serving as Program Director from 2004 to 2023. She also was faculty sponsor for the institution’s Medical Student Training in Aging Research (UT-MSTAR) Program.

In 2007, Dr. Roche was appointed one of the first Colleges mentors, a position she held until she was named Master of Pritchard College in 2022. Having worked extensively with medical students throughout her tenure, she was honored to be selected by the 2025 UT Southwestern Medical School graduating class as Hooding Ceremony speaker. In 2021, Dr. Roche received the UT System’s Regents’ Outstanding Teaching Award, an honor that recognizes outstanding teaching, mentoring, and personal commitment to learners.

A native of Ireland, Dr. Roche earned her medical degree at the Royal College of Surgeons in Dublin. She completed residencies in internal medicine at Beaumont Hospital in Dublin, Ireland; at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, Western Australia; at Saint Joseph Hospital in Denver, Colorado; and at UT Southwestern. She received advanced training in geriatric medicine through a fellowship at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center.

Coming to UT Southwestern proved to be an excellent decision, said Dr. Roche, who has continued mentoring and teaching trainees since her retirement. She has also found time to volunteer, exercise, and travel, including several trips to Ireland with her husband. The grandmother of five said she plans to spend more time with her family and her community.

“Being at UT Southwestern has been such a blessing,” Dr. Roche said. “It has been a journey filled with inspiring, gracious patients, remarkable trainees, and the means to implement outstanding advancements in patient care.”