Erin Ranum, MD, will be named Associate Director of the Geriatric Division of the Department of Psychiatry on January 1, 2026.
Dr. Ranum will work with longtime Geriatric Division Director Steven Wengel, MD, in her new role. Dr. Wengel, who helped hire Dr. Ranum in 2020, is delighted to have her in the leadership position.
“Dr. Ranum brings very creative new ideas for making our clinic better so we can serve our patients better,” said Dr. Wengel.
Dr. Ranum graduated from UNMC College of Medicine in 2016 and then spent the subsequent four years as a resident with the UNMC/Creighton Psychiatry Residency program. Even before she graduated from medical school, Dr. Ranum knew she wanted to work in geriatrics.
“I loved working at the assisted living center, and the geriatric population has always been my favorite to work with,” she said. “They tend to be more complex medically. Also, they have different psychosocial stressors than younger adults, such as declining independence with increasing disability and losing social supports as they age due to the death of loved ones. This combination is interesting and challenging to me and makes my work feel meaningful.”
Dr. Ranum said she has learned about leadership from Dr. Wengel.
“I think the best leadership traits that Dr. Wengel demonstrates, or models is trusting his team members, so he’s the opposite of a micromanager,” she said. “His instincts are to trust team members and support them as they develop whatever interests they’re following.”
When Dr. Ranum assumes the new role in January, she will focus on the clinical aspects of the geriatric division.