The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) has named Susan Smyth, M.D., Ph.D. as its next executive vice chancellor and the College of Medicine dean.
Smyth will assume the role on June 1. She will succeed Christopher Westfall, M.D., who is set to retire on Aug. 1, 2021 after serving 24 years at UAMS.
Currently, Smyth serves as the chief of the Division of Cardiovascular Medicine at the University of Kentucky College of Medicine and is the director of the Gill Heart and Vascular Institute.
“I am very excited to be joining UAMS and the College of Medicine,” Smyth said in a statement. “UAMS has a tremendous reputation for educational, clinical and research excellence, and a compelling commitment to making lasting improvements in the health of Arkansans. I am honored and look forward to working with the talented UAMS team and partners across the state to promote health equity and collaboratively address the health needs of Arkansas.”
Smyth is a member of the American Society for Clinical Investigation and is the senior associate director of the Kentucky Center for Clinical and Translational Science. She also holds a part-time appointment as a physician and research investigator at the Lexington VA Health Care System.
“Dr. Smyth is a remarkable physician, researcher and administrator whose focus on patient-centered care aligns perfectly with ours,” Cam Patterson, M.D., MBA, UAMS chancellor and CEO of UAMS Health, said.. “Her skillset and experiences will serve her well as dean of the College of Medicine, and I look forward to working with her.
She holds a bachelor’s degree in biology from Mount Holyoke College and a medical degree and doctorate of pharmacology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
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