“We” — a small word with immense power, according to Marshall University President Brad D. Smith — is at the core of the university’s rally cry “We Are… Marshall.” In health care, “we” represents the essential partnership between providers and patients, as well as the innovation-driven collaboration among health professionals working together to deliver quality care. This spirit of unity and shared purpose drives the collective efforts of Marshall University, its Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine and its academic health system, Marshall Health Network, to improve health outcomes across the region.
“Together with Marshall Health Network, we are advancing health care, education and research for the betterment of our community and beyond,” Smith said. “We are building a brighter, healthier future, where innovation and compassion converge to redefine health care excellence.”
With the Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine leading the charge, the university and health system are driving advancements in four key areas known as Centers of Wellness. Those Centers include: Addiction & Behavioral Health; Gerontology & Healthy Aging; Obesity & Diabetes; and Rural Health & Primary Care.
“These centers are a holistic shift in how we deliver health care, how we train future health care professionals and how we engage with our communities,” said Beth L. Hammers, chief integration and external affairs officer for Marshall Health Network and vice dean for administration at the School of Medicine.
At the helm of the Centers of Wellness are worldclass clinicians and scientists. Adam M. Franks, MD, a pioneer in rural-focused health education, serves as vice dean for rural health and chair of the Department of Family and Community Health. Shahrad Taheri, PhD, an internationally renowned expert in obesity, diabetes and metabolic disease, will join the school in spring 2025 as the inaugural vice dean for adiposity-based chronic disease, and a subsequent search is underway for the vice dean for addiction and behavioral health.
“We’re recruiting individuals who are leaders in their fields to bring their depth of knowledge and expertise to our programs, with the goal of establishing flagship initiatives that will be recognized locally, regionally, nationally and internationally,” said David Gozal, MD, MBA, PhD (Hon), dean of the School of Medicine and vice president for health affairs at Marshall. “From an external perspective, our goal is for Huntington and for the Marshall ‘We’ to be recognized as national experts in these core areas. Internally, this approach ensures that our students learn from the best of the best and gain exposure to the most advanced knowledge and conceptual novelty throughout their medical training.”
Marshall’s innovative education model integrates a broad spectrum of disciplines, from basic and laboratory science to engineering and even journalism. Soon, dual degree programs will be offered in such fields as health informatics, health care cybersecurity, social media medical journalism and biomedical engineering, equipping students not only to address today’s challenges but also to shape the future of health care, Gozal said.
“Whether these students choose to stay in West Virginia — which is, of course, our intent — or work elsewhere, they will have a unique skillset and an innovative way of thinking that will make them extremely desirable and successful,” he said. “Wherever they go, they’ll carry the Marshall name with them, taking the best practices they learned here to improve communities around the world.”
