Pope Moseley, M.D., Named UAMS College of Medicine Dean

By Ben Boulden

Moseley succeeds G. Richard Smith, M.D., who has served as College of Medicine dean and vice chancellor of UAMS for the last two years. Smith, who first joined the faculty of UAMS in 1981, previously served as chair of the Department of Psychiatry. He was also founding director of the UAMS Psychiatric Research Institute. He announced in 2014 that he wanted to step down once a successor was found. Smith will step down as dean March 31. Richard Turnage, M.D., chair of the college’s Department of Surgery, will serve as interim dean until July 15.

Since 2001, Moseley has been professor and chair of the Department of Internal Medicine at the University of New Mexico (UNM) School of Medicine in Albuquerque and, since 2013, a UNM School of Medicine Distinguished Professor. He also has served at UNM as an associate dean for research and chief of the Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine.

“I am thrilled with Pope’s decision to join us as the next dean of the College of Medicine,” said Chancellor Dan Rahn, M.D., “His background as a physician scientist, his personal leadership style and his administrative experience in academic medicine make him ideally suited to lead the faculty and staff of the college to advance its mission. He also will add significantly to the UAMS leadership team.”

In 1976, Moseley earned his bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Davidson College in Davidson, North Carolina; in 1980, his medical degree from the University of Illinois College of Medicine in Chicago; and in 1983, his master’s degree in preventive medicine from the University of Iowa. He joined the University of Iowa faculty in 1985 after completing a combined residency in internal medicine and occupational medicine and a fellowship in pulmonary medicine.

As dean, Moseley will oversee all aspects of the College of Medicine, the largest college at UAMS with 682 students, 30 departments and free-standing divisions, more than 1,100 full- and part-time faculty members, a professional practice group and 650 residents and fellows.

“My first goal is to learn about the faculty, students, staff and trainees,” Moseley said. “It’s a wonderful place that is taking a thoughtful and bold approach to redefining the future of medical education, research, patient care and service. I’m eager to participate in the innovative collaboration to advance the new service lines and support the continued development of the research enterprise in Arkansas. Chancellor Rahn, Dean Smith and Medical Center CEO Dr. Roxane Townsend have charted an exciting path. I’m looking forward to joining with them and the UAMS community in pursuit of these initiatives.”

Moseley will work closely with Townsend, who also is vice chancellor for clinical programs, to create and implement a forward-looking model for clinical programs. He will be central to the task of building new research programs while ensuring the continued success of existing basic, clinical and translational research programs. He will work with the college’s leaders to develop strategies to ensure adequate support and advancement of current educational programs.