Vanderbilt University Medical Center is U.S. News & World Report’s 2026-27 top hospital in Tennessee. It is also consistently ranked as the Southeast’s best pediatric hospital. Vanderbilt is a pioneer in organ transplantation and preservation, and one of the few centers in the world able to help the most complex adult and pediatric patients. The Vanderbilt Transplant Center is currently the largest transplant center in the U.S. by volume, and its heart transplant team holds the world record for the most adult and pediatric heart transplants in a year. Vanderbilt also operates one of the busiest critical care centers in the region, and is Middle Tennessee’s only level 1 trauma and burn center for both adults and children. The medical center is home to the region’s only level 4 neonatal ICU, as well as the only National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center in Tennessee that treats both adult and pediatric patients. As a global leader in research, Vanderbilt receives more than $1 billion annually in research funding and ranked among the top 10 recipients of National Institutes of Health funding in the nation for fiscal year 2025. The medical center as a whole delivers care through eight hospitals, 2,200 licensed beds, and 180 ambulatory locations in Tennessee and surrounding states, supporting 3.5 million patient visits annually for adults and children. With its tri-part mission to advance patient care, research and education across the region, Vanderbilt is a major growth engine for Middle Tennessee, contributing $22.13 billion to the regional economy and generating 120,000 jobs.
