Valencia Clay M.D.

Known for her open and honest approach to the end-of-life, Dr. Valencia Clay isn’t afraid to tackle tough issues. She never leaves a patient and family until every question has been answered, sometimes staying for hours on end.

“The end-of-life can seem overwhelming and scary,” says Dr. Clay. “When we talk openly about what to expect during the final weeks, we can relieve a lot of the fear and anxiety. It’s a true privilege to honor the patient’s choices and walk with families through this part of life’s journey.”

When she’s not working with the patients and families at Hospice of Chattanooga, you will find Dr. Clay educating her colleagues about the benefits of hospice care. Since 2008, Dr. Clay has overseen the Hospice and Palliative Medicine Fellowship program at the University of Tennessee, College of Medicine at Chattanooga. Thanks in large part to Dr. Clay’s efforts, this program became one of the first hospice fellowships in the country to receive accreditation from the Council of Graduate Education.

Dr. Clay has one daughter and is proud to now call Chattanooga her home. She is a graduate of Morehouse School of Medicine and is board certified in both internal medicine and hospice and palliative medicine.