Dr. John Earl Brandon, former medical director of The University of Alabama College of Community Health Sciences Rural Medical Scholars Program, died Aug. 1, 2026. He was 74 years old.
Brandon was born and raised in Tuscaloosa, Ala., and graduated from Tuscaloosa High School in 1970. He graduated from Davidson College in Davidson, N.C., in 1974. He earned his medical degree from Tulane University School of Medicine in New Orleans, La., in 1978 and completed his family medicine residency at CCHS.
Brandon began practicing family medicine in Gordo, Ala., in 1981 and continued serving the rural community for more than 40 years.
Through his role as medical director of the Rural Medical Scholars Program, Brandon mentored and inspired countless future physicians and helped shape generations of health care leaders committed to serving rural communities.
The Rural Medical Scholars Program is a five-year program exclusively for rural Alabama students who aspire to become physicians and return to practice in their hometowns or similar communities. The program includes a year of study after students receive their undergraduate degree, that leads to a master’s degree in rural community health and early admission to the UAB Heersink School of Medicine. Since its founding in 1996, the Rural Medical Scholars Program has had 208 students complete the program, including graduating from medical school. Among those participants, 127 have gone on to practice in Alabama, including 76 physicians who currently practice in rural Alabama communities.
In recognition of Brandon’s contributions to rural health and medical education, the Rural Medical Scholars Program renamed its annual Sage Award the Dr. John Brandon Award in 2026. The award recognizes significant contributions to rural health and honors Brandon’s lasting impact on rural medicine and medical education.
Brandon also was instrumental in implementing SMART Clinics in Pickens County, Ala., where he served as a physician preceptor. The school-based clinics provide healthcare services to students, faculty and staff in Pickens County. In 2023, the Gordo Elementary School SMART Clinic was dedicated in Brandon’s honor.
Throughout his career, Brandon was deeply involved in his community. He served as team physician for Gordo High School athletics for 45 consecutive football seasons, from 1981 to 2025, attending 548 consecutive games. He also served on the Board of Trustees of Pickens County Medical Center in Carrollton, Ala., and as an interim representative on the Pickens County Board of Education.
Brandon was a longtime member of the American Medical Association, joining in 1979. In 2023, he received the Samuel Buford Word Award, the AMA’s highest honor recognizing service to humanity. He also was a member of the American Academy of Family Physicians throughout his career.
Brandon’s contributions to his community also were recognized by Davidson College, which presented him with the John W. Kuykendall Award for Community Service at his 50th class reunion in 2024. The award recognizes alumni who have provided extraordinary service to their communities.