Dr. Taylor received his B.S. degree from the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa. During his medical studies, he performed research both at the Medical College of Alabama (Birmingham, Al) and the Institute for Medical Genetics at the University of Uppsala, Uppsala Sweden. He received both his M.S. and M.D degrees from the University of Alabama (Medical College of Alabama).

Dr. Taylor served an internship, subsequent residency training at the University of Virginia, completing the residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology in 1975. He was a Clinical Associate (Surgery Branch) at the National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland and Fellow in Gynecologic Oncology at the University of Virginia. He is board certified in Obstetrics and Gynecology and holds a Certificate of Special Competence in Gynecology.

During Dr. Taylor's academic career he has served on the faculty of the University of Alabama Birmingham (Gynecologic Oncology) and the Comprehensive Cancer Center of UAB. Since 1981 he has been on the faculty of the University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia serving as Associate Professor and the Crockett Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology, founding director of the Division of Gynecologic Oncology, currently the Medical Director and formerly also the Deputy Director of the NIH-designated Cancer Center.

Dr. Taylor has received numerous awards for teaching excellence, published widely in of basic research and clinical gynecologic oncology, lectured internationally at prominent universities, served on the Commission on Cancer, held leadership positions in the Society of Gynecologic Oncologists, is a member of appropriate professional societies and remains active as a gynecologic surgeon in his field.