Dr. Michael Stephens Named Dean of the LMU-School of Medical Sciences
Lincoln Memorial University (LMU) President Clayton Hess has named Dr. Michael Stephens dean of the LMU-School of Medical Sciences (LMU-SMS).
“I am very pleased that Dr. Stephens has accepted the role of Dean in the School of Medical Science,” said W. Mark Tew, vice president for academic affairs. “His academic preparation combined with his practitioner’s experience will serve him well in leading the faculty and educating our students.”
Stephens has been a member of the LMU-SMS faculty since 2016, where he served as assistant professor of physician assistant (PA) studies. He has been involved in all aspects of PA education, focusing on at-risk students and heading up the program’s academic support services. Stephens implemented the PA academic probation policies and exam remediation for both didactic and clinical education students. Additionally, he has extensive experience in clinical site development, clinical site visits, and exam and course development.
In addition to his teaching and academic support duties, Stephens has maintained a clinical practice in family medicine at Claiborne Primary Care, previously LMU Medical Clinic, in New Tazewell, Tennessee. Prior to joining LMU, Stephens worked in internal medicine and pediatrics in Southeastern Kentucky at Stallworth Internal Medicine and Pediatrics and practiced family medicine at Servolution Health Services. Servolution is a free medical clinic, where Stephens maintains a position on the board of directors.
A native of the tri-state region, Stephens graduated from Bell County (Kentucky) High School and went on to attend Union College in Barbourville, Kentucky. Following college, he pursued a career in pharmaceutical sales, but continued to feel compelled to change his career goals.
“I saw the interactions between physicians and patients. I was envious of the relationships that providers had with their patients and the value they brought to their patients’ lives. But it’s hard for a 30-something-year-old with two children to quit a full-time job to go back to school. I felt like going back to school was unattainable,” Stephens said. “The only reason I was able to go back to school was that LMU started a PA program. It seemed like the Lord was involved. As soon as I decided that I shouldn’t return to school, I would see a sign that I should.”
Stephens earned a Bachelor of Science in biology from Union College in Barbourville, Kentucky. He earned both the Master of Medical Science in physician assistant studies and the Doctor of Medical Science degree from LMU.
Established in 2019, LMU-SMS is home to LMU’s Physician Assistant Program at the main campus in Harrogate, a Surgical Physician Assistant Program at LMU-Knoxville, the Doctor of Medical Science completion program in Harrogate, and the Bachelor of Medical Laboratory Science degree program, which is delivered at the main campus and at the Kingsport Center for Higher education. The school supports the University’s mission of service to Appalachia and other underserved areas by maintaining high quality medical education and supporting student success.
Lincoln Memorial University is a values-based learning community dedicated to providing educational experiences in the liberal arts and professional studies. The main campus is located in Harrogate, Tennessee. For more information about the undergraduate and graduate programs available at LMU, contact the Office of Admissions at 423-869-6280 or e-mail at admissions@LMUnet.edu.