After completing an Internal Medicine Internship, Residency, and Hematology fellowship at Baylor College of Medicine, Dr. Rice was appointed to the faculty and became a Professor of Medicine and Professor of Thrombosis Research. For more than 20 years, he served as the Hematology Program Director and Director of the required medical student Hematology/Oncology course.

In 2007, his primary affiliation changed to Chief of Hematology at Houston Methodist Hospital and Professor of Medicine at Weill Cornell Medical College. He has maintained an active Consultative Hematology practice at Houston Methodist for more than 30 years. This program is distinguished by the depth and breadth of the blood disorders managed, including Congenital TTP, paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria and Evans' syndrome. Two-thirds of his patients have "benign" hematologic disorders and one-third have hematologic malignancies.

Dr. Rice actively teaches medical students, residents and subspecialty fellows, and has received numerous teaching awards, including induction in the inaugural class of the Baylor Medicine Educator Hall of Fame. In 2009-2010, he received the Edward C. Lynch Outstanding Teacher Award from Houston Methodist Internal Medicine residents, the Houston Methodist GME Teacher of the Year Award, the Hematology Honorary Fellow (Outstanding Teacher) Award from graduating MD Anderson Hematology/Oncology fellows, and the Hematology Educator of the Year from Baylor Hematology/Oncology fellows. Dr. Rice frequently gives lectures and chairs national educational symposia and CME events.

Dr. Rice's research interests include:

-Thrombocytopenic disorders (ITP, TTP and HIT)
-Bleeding, clotting and anticoagulation problems
-Anemias, erythropoietin actions and iron metabolism
Recent clinical studies include participation in pivotal trials of novel platelet-stimulating hormones, anticoagulants, and iron-chelators.