N. Randall Kolb, MD

Dr. N. Randall Kolb received his Bachelor of Science degree in chemistry from Ursinus College in Collegeville, Pennsylvania. He earned his medical degree from the University of Pittsburgh’s School of Medicine. Upon completion of his residency training at UPMC Shadyside, he was medical director for St. James Santee Rural Health Clinic located in McClellanville, South Carolina. He joined the faculty at UPMC Shadyside in 1987.  Dr. Kolb became the medical director for the Family Health Center in 1997 and served in this capacity for the next eight years.

From 2005 through 2016, Dr. Kolb was the Director of UPMC Shadyside’s Family Medicine Residency Program.  Under his leadership, the residency has expanded the faculty and breadth of teaching expertise. He was instrumental in the creation of the Global Health and Underserved Tracks. He has maintained strong relationships with community groups such as, Health Care for the Homeless of Allegheny County. Dr. Kolb oversaw the expansion of services in the Family Health Center, the Adult Inpatient Service, the skilled nursing facility, and Carnegie Mellon University’s Student Health Services.

His interests include capacity building within primary care for treatment of patients with Hepatitis B and C, teaching continuous quality improvement, and the doctor-patient relationship, especially as it is affected by the physician’s interviewing skills. He teaches community-oriented primary care at the Shoulder to Shoulder Program in northern Honduras. Dr. Kolb has been working with the community in San Jose since 1990. He also serves as vice president on the Shoulder to Shoulder Pittsburgh Board. From 1987 to the present, Dr. Kolb has been a volunteer physician with Health Care for the Homeless whose mission is to treat the medically underserved population in Allegheny County.

In 2003, Dr. Kolb became a recipient of the prestigious Jefferson Awards for Public Service for his work with Health Care for the Homeless. He received the Adriana M. Selvaggio, MD Dedication to Commitment and Quality Award in recognition of his dedication to UPMC Shadyside in 2013. Since 2012, Dr. Kolb has been named one of the top family medicine physicians in the country on the annual list of “Best Doctors in America®” and Pittsburgh's Best Doctors List published by Pittsburgh Magazine.

Dr. Kolb continues to enjoy his four adult children as they develop their careers and find wonderful life partners. He faithfully practices and sometimes teaches yoga

If you were to ask Dr. Kolb what he appreciated most when he was the director of the residency program, he would tell you, “Seeing recent medical graduates grow and develop their skills then watching them become fully competent physicians.”