New structure brings together LMU’s growing health professions programs and campuses
Lincoln Memorial University (LMU) is taking another step forward in the growth of its health professions enterprise with the establishment of the Division of Health Sciences, bringing programs, expertise and leadership together across the University’s expanding multi-campus footprint.
The new division will be led by Dr. Mark Browne, LMU’s chief administrative officer for health sciences, and will provide a more unified framework for LMU’s growing portfolio of health professions programs.
The move reflects the significant growth LMU has experienced in health professions education in recent years. As the University has expanded existing programs, entered new markets and created new pathways into health professions, LMU has continued to evolve its leadership structure to support that momentum.
Earlier this year, LMU named Dr. Teanna Moore dean and chief academic officer of the LMU-DeBusk College of Osteopathic Medicine (LMU-DCOM), positioning the college to build on its growth and broader presence across multiple locations. The University has also moved the LMU-School of Medical Sciences (LMU-SMS) under Browne’s leadership.
LMU-SMS includes LMU’s Physician Assistant programs in Harrogate and Knoxville, Tennessee, and Tampa, Florida, as well as the developing Physician Assistant program in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and the Doctor of Medical Science program.
The new division will provide greater coordination among LMU’s health professions programs and create new opportunities for collaboration across disciplines and campuses while allowing individual schools and programs to maintain their distinct academic identities, faculty expertise and areas of focus.
“LMU has built an extraordinary health professions enterprise, and we are continuing to invest in the leadership and structure necessary to support it,” said LMU President Dr. Jason McConnell. “We have exceptional programs, talented faculty and staff, and a growing presence in communities that need highly trained health professionals. The Division of Health Sciences allows us to connect those strengths more intentionally and creates a strong foundation for where we are headed next.”
“Our health professions programs already have tremendous expertise within them,” Browne said. “This structure gives us more opportunities to bring that expertise together across disciplines and campuses, share ideas and resources, and identify new ways to support our faculty and students. Ultimately, that collaboration strengthens how we prepare graduates to serve the communities that depend on them.”
Browne joined LMU-DCOM in July 2023 and has held multiple leadership roles supporting clinical education and graduate medical education. Prior to joining LMU, he served for more than a decade as senior vice president and chief medical officer for Covenant Health, where he led system-wide clinical quality, physician engagement and performance improvement initiatives across a large regional health system. A physician trained in internal medicine and pediatrics, Browne brings more than two decades of executive health care leadership experience to his role leading the new division.
The establishment of the Division of Health Sciences is part of LMU’s broader commitment to ensuring its leadership and organizational structure continues to support an institution that has grown significantly in academic offerings, geographic reach and impact.
“Growth creates opportunity, but it also requires us to be intentional about how we lead and support a University of LMU’s size and scope,” McConnell said. “We are building a structure that reflects the LMU of today while positioning us for where we are going next. As the University continues to grow, we will continue making thoughtful decisions about how our programs and leadership structures fit together to support our students, faculty and long-term success.”
About Lincoln Memorial University
Lincoln Memorial University is a values-based learning community dedicated to providing educational experiences in liberal arts and professional studies. The main campus is 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 email at admissions@LMUnet.edu.
