Dr. Teresa Jacobs

Dr. Teresa Jacobs is triple boarded in General Neurology, Vascular Neurology, and Neurocritical Care. She is a Professor of Neurosurgery and Neurology at the University of Michigan, Michigan Medicine. She is also the Medical Director of Care Management for Michigan Medicine. She serves as a mentor for women at the medical student, resident and fellow level of training. She was a high school chemistry teacher for ten years before she entered medical school and she has maintained a strong educational focus with her mentees and all others on her medical teams. She received the James Q. Miller Award for Resident Education as a resident, has been a sought after speaker on topics in neurocritical care and care management throughout her career, and recently was an inductee to the League of Educational Excellence at the University of Michigan.

After her medical school training at the University of Pittsburgh Medical School, Dr. Jacobs completed residency and fellowship at the University of Virginia. She maintained a private practice position at Bronson Hospital for several years and moved back to academic medicine to start Michigan Medicine’s Neurocritical Care Program. She served as its first Medical Director and built the program to four intensivists and 14 Advance Practice Providers. As a leader at Michigan Medicine, she has worked hard to provide women the opportunities to excel in medicine. Dr. Jacobs started two separate neurocritical care fellowships working to train women in neurocritical care and critical care. She has trained several current academic faculty.

This year, Dr. Jacobs was given the Legacy Award from Gift of Life Michigan for her career work in neurocritical care and brain death determination. She has spoken regionally and nationally about the process of brain death determination and the need for standardization. Her strong support of patients and families at the end of life is provided by her focus on medical care and end-of–life education for families facing tragic loss.

As the Medical Director for Care Management, she strives to provide excellent transitions of care for the patients at Michigan Medicine. She serves on the national board for Association of Physician Leadership in Care Management where she strives to help produce quality care for patients across the spectrum of their healthcare. Her many Case Managers, Social Workers and Utilization Review Nurses look to her as a model of patient advocacy.

At home she is Mom and wife; at work she is doctor and educator; for her women mentees she is friend and champion.