A Holistic Approach to a Healthier Future

"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."

Leading in Rural Healthcare

Marshall has long been at the forefront of rural medicine, with mobile outreach programs, telemedicine initiatives and community clinics that improve access to both primary and specialty care for rural populations. The newly defined Center of Wellness for Rural Health & Primary Care elevates this commitment, Gozal said. In 2021, the School of Medicine made history when, under the leadership of Vice Dean for Education Paulette S. Wehner, MD, it established the nation's first separately accredited rural surgery residency program and set a new standard for rural health care worldwide. The innovative surgery training model ensures residents are well versed in general surgery as well as procedures commonly encountered in rural surgical practice, including those in subspecialties like urology, orthopaedics and obstetrics and gynecology.

In just four years, collaborations with critical access rural hospitals have led to two additional rural residencies in psychiatry and internal medicine.

"To truly be a health care leader, we must identify scalable solutions with a lasting impact," Gozal said. "Rural residency programs are one such solution where we're already seeing immediate results."

Rural Surgery Resident Rebecca Meyer, DO, was already considering a residency at Marshall when she learned about the rural surgery program. A Missouri native who grew up in a suburban area, Meyer fell in love with rural Appalachia while attending medical school.

"As soon as I heard about the new program, I knew it would be the perfect fit for me," Meyer said. "Practicing in a rural community offers the chance to treat a wide range of conditions. I thought it was a beautiful opportunity to be the well-rounded surgeon I want to be."

To further improve care throughout the region, Marshall has strengthened its partnerships with community health centers and integrated primary care services into its addiction recovery center PROACT (Provider Response Organization for Addiction Care & Treatment), a single accessible hub for individuals looking for recovery-related services. Later this year, a new mobile unit will also expand access to primary care, immunizations, sports medicine and occupational health services throughout southern West Virginia.

Advancing Education, Care in Our Areas of Focus

The other Centers of Wellness are driving innovation in their respective fields as well. The Center of Wellness for Gerontology & Healthy Aging, which houses fellowship programs in geriatric medicine and geriatric psychiatry, prioritizes preventive medicine. The Center of Wellness for Obesity & Diabetes is building on Marshall's foundation of excellence in bariatric surgery while also expanding into nonsurgical weight management and further developing the Chertow Diabetes Center.

Looking ahead, a new state-of-the-art Marshall Community Health Institute in Huntington will redefine multidisciplinary training for medical students, faculty and health professionals throughout the region. Central to the institute will be a futuristic simulation center, where VR (Virtual Reality) technology will take team-based problem-solving to a new level.

The Institute will also become the new home for the Center of Wellness for Addiction & Behavioral Health. Marshall's innovative models for substance use disorder are comprehensive, addressing factors beyond the individual while also assisting families and communities at large.