Richard K Sterling, MD

Dr. Sterling received his BS in Chemistry and Natural Science from Muhlenberg College in Allentown Pa in 1982, a Master's in Biochemistry from the University of Texas in Austin in 1984, a MD from Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia in 1988 and a Master's in Biostatistics and Clinic Research from VCU in 2007. He completed his residency in Internal Medicine in 1991 and Fellowship in Gastroenterology and Transplant Hepatology from VCU in 1994. He is currently the VCU Hepatology Professor of Medicine (promoted to tenure June 2011) in the Divisions of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition and Infectious Diseases and Section Chief of Hepatology, Medical Director of Viral Hepatitis at VCUHS, Associate Chair for Research in the Department of Medicine and Chief Medical Officer for the Stravitz-Sanyal Institute for Liver Disease and Metabolic Health and directs the CTSA module for Translational Science. His research interest is in HIV-liver disease (HCV, HBV, and/or NAFLD), cirrhosis, alcoholic hepatitis, and hepatocellular carcinoma which is supported by several U01 and R01 NIH grants. Other research interests include noninvasive assessment of liver disease, biomarkers for hepatocellular carcinoma, viral hepatitis, and liver transplantation. He has published over 300 manuscripts with an H-index of 90, several book chapters and serves on several prominent committees of national associations such as the ABIM, AGA, AASLD, and ACG and has served on several study sections of the NIH. He has won numerous awards for teaching and leadership and was voted "Top Doc" in 2012, 2013, 2022-2026 in Richmond magazine one of Virginia's Top Doctors 2025 and 2026 by Virginia Business magazine. He was awarded the Excellent in Research and Scholarship Award in 2020 and more recently, the Thames-Kontos Faculty Mentoring Award by the Department of Internal Medicine in 2023 and the Outstanding Mentor Award by the School of Medicine in 2025.