About Academic Med
Academic Physician Executive Search | Retained leadership search for academic medical centers, medical schools, and health systems
Who We Are
Academic Med is a retained academic physician executive search firm dedicated exclusively to leadership recruitment within academic medicine. Founded in May 2012 by Gentry Zacheis and Jim Hagood, the firm was established with a clear mission: to provide academic medical institutions with a highly specialized, consultative approach to physician leadership search.
For more than a decade, Academic Med has partnered with medical schools, academic medical centers, and health systems nationwide to recruit department chairs, division chiefs, center directors, and senior physician executives whose leadership shapes clinical care, education, and research.
What We Do
Academic Med conducts retained executive search engagements for senior physician leadership roles within academic medicine. Our work is consultative, confidential, and highly targeted, supporting mission-critical appointments where alignment, credibility, and long-term institutional impact matter most.
With exclusive focus on academic medicine, we bring deep understanding of governance structures, leadership dynamics, and the strategic challenges facing today’s academic institutions. We work closely with institutional leadership and search committees to align each search with the organization’s mission, culture, and long-term objectives.
Clients We Serve
Academic Med partners with academic medical centers, medical schools, cancer centers, and health systems with academic missions. Our clients engage us to lead senior physician leadership searches where institutional reputation, long-term impact, and alignment with mission are paramount.
These engagements often involve complex stakeholder environments, national candidate markets, and leadership roles that influence clinical care, education, and research at the highest levels.
How We Serve
Academic Med serves as a trusted advisor to institutional leadership throughout the executive search process. We engage deeply with our clients to understand strategic priorities, organizational culture, and leadership dynamics before advising on search strategy, market approach, and candidate assessment.
Our role extends beyond candidate identification. We provide market intelligence, guide stakeholder alignment, and support decision-making at each stage of the search to ensure confidence, clarity, and successful long-term outcomes for both the institution and the selected leader.
Leadership Team | Academic Med Founders
Mission + Vision
M
Our Mission
To partner with academic medical institutions in identifying and recruiting exceptional physician leaders whose expertise, vision, and integrity advance patient care, education, and research.
V
Our Vision
To strengthen academic medicine by ensuring that its most critical leadership roles are filled by individuals positioned to drive long-term institutional success and impact.
Our Executive Search Process
Our retained executive search process is designed to support complex leadership appointments within academic medicine through a structured, consultative, and confidential approach.
How We Work
Academic Med applies a proven, tailored approach to executive search that emphasizes alignment, transparency, and rigor. Each engagement is customized to reflect the institution’s mission, culture, and strategic priorities, ensuring a comprehensive and effective search process.
- Retained executive search
- Market intelligence & outreach
- Candidate evaluation & advising
- Stakeholder alignment
- Contract negotiation
- Onboarding & Transition Support
Frequently Asked Questions
What services does Academic Med provide?
We are dedicated to attracting and retaining highly qualified candidates, covering a wide spectrum of experience and responsibilities. Our firm stands as a top-tier professional resource for clinicians, scientists, and surgeons across all medical disciplines. Our approach entails strategic and consultative physician recruitment solutions, ensuring each search is comprehensive and effective through stages of exploratory dialogue, assessment and matching, introduction and facilitation, to successful placement.
What types of searches does Academic Med specialize in?
Our expertise spans a variety of search categories including positions like Assistant Professor of Neurology, Cardiothoracic Surgeon, Chair of the Department of Pediatrics, Dean of the College of Medicine, and CEO of Health Systems among others.
Who are the typical clients Academic Med works with?
Our clientele is diverse, encompassing sectors of Academic Medicine, Higher Education, Priva-Demic Health Systems, Specialized Medical Institutes/Centers, and Biomedical Research. We collaborate with a broad array of academic medical centers, hospitals, health systems, physician groups, and other healthcare enterprises nationwide.
What types of candidates does Academic Med aim to attract and retain?
We seek to engage with candidates such as Physicians, Scientists, Nurses, Allied Health professionals, Epidemiologists & Data Scientists, and Executives, ensuring a rich spectrum of experience and responsibility is represented in our candidate pool.
What areas of expertise does Academic Med cover in recruitment?
Our recruitment expertise is both broad and deep, covering a range of Departments and Areas including Plastic Surgery, Preventive Medicine, Dentistry Surgery, Emergency Medicine, Family Medicine, Neurosciences, Pediatrics, Cancer, Cardiovascular, and Radiology among others.
How can I get in touch for further inquiries or to begin a recruitment process?
For further inquiries or to kick-start a recruitment process, feel free to fill out the inquiry form on our Contact Us page. Alternatively, you can reach out directly via:
- Principal Office Address: 6900 Dallas Parkway, Suite 300, Plano, Texas 75024
- Phone: 214.730.0735
- Fax: 214.382.9402
- Email: in**@**********ed.com
How is Academic Med different from physician recruitment firms?
Academic Med is distinguished by its exclusive focus on academic medicine and its retained executive search model. For more than a decade, we have worked closely with leading medical schools, academic medical centers, and health systems, giving us deep insight into the unique governance structures, leadership demands, and strategic challenges of academic institutions.
Unlike high-volume physician recruitment or healthcare staffing firms, our work is high-touch, consultative, and highly targeted. This narrow and intentional focus enables us to provide market intelligence, strategic guidance, and leadership assessment capabilities that support successful, long-term outcomes for both institutions and the leaders they appoint.
Join Our Team
Academic Med is always hiring for top talent to join our team. Curious about our current openings? We’d like to hear from you. Contact us today!
