Rachel Bonnema Appointed Vice Chair of Faculty Affairs

Dr. Rachel Bonnema, a Professor in the William T. and Gay F. Solomon Division of General Internal Medicine, has been appointed Vice Chair of Faculty Affairs.

Dr. Bonnema previously served as Associate Vice Chair of Faculty Development, leading programs to strengthen teaching excellence, clinical efficiency, and career development while actively engaging junior faculty. Her transition to Vice Chair of Faculty Affairs reflects the Department’s substantial growth to nearly 900 faculty and the corresponding expansion in scope and complexity of faculty-related initiatives, making a broader leadership role necessary.

In her new role, Dr. Bonnema will partner with Department and institutional leaders to advance a comprehensive strategy for faculty recruitment and retention, professional and leadership development, and faculty well-being. She will also oversee faculty affairs and credentialing operations, support promotion processes, and help standardize practices across divisions and centers to strengthen faculty support across the Department.

Dr. Bonnema holds a bachelor’s degree in biology from Northwestern College in Orange City, Iowa, and a medical degree from the University of South Dakota in Sioux Falls. She completed internal medicine residency training and a general internal medicine fellowship – both in the women’s health track – at the University of Pittsburgh, where she also earned a master’s degree in medical education. 

Prior to joining the UT Southwestern faculty in 2018, Dr. Bonnema served on the faculty at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, where contributed extensively to medical education, clinical quality, and faculty support through service on numerous institutional committees.

At UT Southwestern, Dr. Bonnema has served as Associate Division Chief of General Internal Medicine and Assistant Program Director of the General Internal Medicine Fellowship since 2018. In 2022, she was named Interim Division Chief of General Internal Medicine, a position she held throughout 2023. She also served as Medical Education Track Director for the Internal Medicine Residency, a role she held through 2024.