Dr. Scutchfield received his MD degree from the University of Kentucky, where he was selected as a member of Alpha Omega Alpha. He completed internship and residency training at Northwestern University, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the University of Kentucky. Dr. Scutchfield was certified by the American Board of Preventive Medicine in 1974 and the American Board of Family Practice from 1971-1985. He was a Charter Diplomat of the American Board of Family Practice.
At the University of Kentucky, Dr. Scutchfield held administrative responsibilities of Founding Director of the School of Public Health, Founding Director of the Center for Health Services Research and Management, Chair of the Department of Health Services, Chair of the Department of Preventive Medicine and Environmental Health and Associate Dean of the College of Medicine. He holds faculty appointments in the Departments of Preventive Medicine and Environmental Health, Family Practice, Health Services and the Martin School of Public Policy and Administration. He is the Peter P. Bosomworth Professor of Health Services Research and Policy. Dr. Scutchfield was also the Founder of the Graduate School of Public Health at San Diego State University.
Dr. Scutchfield has an international reputation, having served as a consultant to government and non governmental organizations. His current research focuses on community health, public health organization and delivery, quality of care issues and democracy in health care decision making.
He is a skilled editor. He currently serves as Editor of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.
He is the author of numerous textbooks, text chapters and published articles in referred journals.