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The UAMS College of Health Professions recently promoted four members of its faculty. Left to right, they are: Melissa Halverson, Nathan Johnson, Paul Nelson and Ashley McMillan.

College of Health Professions Promotes Four Faculty Members

Aug. 11, 2022 | The UAMS College of Health Professions recently announced the promotions of four faculty members:

• Melissa Halverson, Pharm.D., M.P.H, promoted to associate professor in the Department of Physician Assistant Studies.
• Nathan Johnson, Ph.D., promoted to professor in the Department of Laboratory Sciences.
• Paul Nelson, M.S., promoted to associate professor in the Department of Laboratory Sciences.
• Ashley McMillan, D.D.S., promoted to associate professor with tenure in the Center for Dental Education, General Practice Dental Residency.

Johnson is chair of the Department of Laboratory Sciences and director of the Medical Laboratory Sciences program. He earned his doctor of philosophy degree from Mississippi State University, his master of science in Clinical Laboratory Sciences from University of Utah, his Master of Science in Management from Incarnate Word College, and Bachelor of Science in Medical Technology for Louisiana Tech University. He served 28 years in the U.S. Air Force. Before joining UAMS in 2017, Col. Johnson served as the national director of the Center for Laboratory Medicine Services for the Defense Health Agency in Falls Church, Virginia, where he led the nation’s largest laboratory system consisting of over 400 medical treatment facilities, 2,000 testing sites, and about 8,000 technical personnel.

Nelson is the assistant program director of operations for the medical laboratory sciences program. He earned a Master of Science in Health Risk Management & Crisis Communication from Chapman University, a Bachelor of Science in Occupational Education and an Associate of Applied Science in Business Management from Wayland Baptist University, and an Associate of Applied Science in Medical

Laboratory Science and an Associate of Applied Science in Instructor of Science/Technology from Community College of the Air Force. He served 24 years in the U.S. Air Force. Before coming to UAMS in 2021, Lt. Col. Nelson served as director of the Air Force Medical Service COVID Pandemic Lab Team where he directed all aspects of Air Force COVID-19 testing operations. This included growing COVID test capacity from 0 to 200,000 tests per week and managing $92 million in lab supply contracts that delivered 90% of all Air Force COVID testing capabilities.

Halverson is the associate director of Didactic Education for the physician assistant studies program. She earned a Doctor of Pharmacy and a Master of Public Health, both from UAMS.  Halverson also serves as the director of the UAMS 12th Street Health & Wellness Center, a student-run free clinic which provides UAMS students an opportunity to learn about, from and with each other. She has expertise in interprofessional education and student-run clinics. Before joining the Physicians Assistant program, she was a clinical instructor in the Department of Pharmacy Practice in the UAMS College of Pharmacy.

McMillan is the director of the General Practice Dental Residency (GPR) program.  She earned a Doctor of Dental Surgery from University of Tennessee Health Science Center and a Bachelor of Science in Biology from University of Arkansas. McMillan completed her residency in 2016 where she was in the first cohort of dental residents at UAMS.  Joining the faculty as a clinical instructor, she subsequently served as clinic director, assistant GPR program director and now, program director. McMillan has gained a robust state reputation as an authority in hospital-based dentistry.