Rachel Calhoun Coughlin, MD

“My goal is to provide compassionate, equitable, patient-centered and family-centered care. I hope to make each day a little bit easier for my patients and their families, whether that is through improved communication, symptom management or care coordination.

I have always been drawn to caring for sick children. My cousin died after a 17-year battle with cancer when she was 21 years old. She received amazing care as she fought and approached the end of life in hospice with dignity. She was my motivation all through medical training and still inspires me daily.”

Dr. Coughlin is board certified in both pediatrics and hospice and palliative medicine. She focuses on children with chronic, complex or serious illnesses.

She has received numerous awards, including The University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Pediatrics Michele St. Romain House Staff Award and The UAB Department of Pediatrics Joe LaRussa Intern of the Year. She was also honored with the Leonard Tow Humanism in Medicine Award and the Department of Pediatrics Harry B. O’Rear, MD Award from the Medical College of Georgia.

She is a member of the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society and the Gold Humanism Honor Society.

Dr. Coughlin has conducted research on hospice education, patient communication, dignity therapy and provider wellness.

She received her medical degree at the Medical College of Georgia and completed residency at The University of Alabama at Birmingham. She completed a fellowship at The University of Tennessee.

Outside of work, Dr. Coughlin and her husband, Kevin, love being outdoors, hiking and camping. They enjoy traveling to new places, exploring local restaurants and breweries and listening to live music. She is a fan of Tampa Bay Lightning hockey and Formula 1 racing. A native North Carolinian, she loves to cheer on the University of North Carolina with her family.