Vanderbilt University Medical Center will fire hundreds of employees as a result of federal grant cuts. (Photo: John Partipilo/Tennessee Lookout)

Vanderbilt University Medical Center, one of the largest academic research and hospital care systems in the Southeast, expects to fire 650 employees as a result of Grant and other funding by the Trump administration, said in a statement.

The Education and Trauma Care Hospital System will reduce operating costs by $300 million overall, the statement said. The medical center said reductions are being made “in response to the impact of Washington, D.C. budget measures related to government-supported research and patient care.”

The cuts on staff will primarily affect employees in research, management and other support areas, the statement said.

“This is extremely difficult, but staffing losses represent less than 2% of VUMC’s total workforce,” the statement said. “To support affected employees, VUMC offers retirement packages and other assistance.

“VUMC sees visits of more than 3.5 million patients each year and is committed to meeting the needs of everyone who relies on healthcare.”

The statement noted that Vanderbilt University Medical Center will continue to hire clinical staff at the long-standing 180-bed Jim Ayers Tower.