Dean named for new medical school at Methodist University
Dr. Hershey Bell has been hired as the founding dean of Methodist University's planned College of Medicine, the school announced Thursday.
Bell’s hiring comes on the heels of a partnership that the university called “groundbreaking” between Methodist University and Cape Fear Valley Health System, according to a news release
In February, the two institutions announced they are establishing a state-of-the-art, four-year medical school to be located on the campus of Cape Fear Valley Medical Center in Fayetteville. The goal is for classes to begin in July 2026.
“Methodist University is both pleased and proud to appoint Dr. Hershey Bell,” President Stanley Wearden said in the release. “Dr. Bell brings to the position a wealth of knowledge, experience, energy, and passion for improving the quality of care through a more integrated approach to medical education and treatment.
“I am confident that Dr. Bell is absolutely the right person at the right time for the important job of founding the medical school, and I look forward to having him on our leadership team.”
Bell will oversee the accreditation process of the medical school, as Methodist University submits a “substantive change prospectus” to the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges for approval, the release said. The SACSCOC describes itself as “the body for the accreditation of degree-granting higher education institutions in the Southern states.”
As dean, Bell will also develop a curriculum for the medical school "that combines both asynchronous learning with classroom learning," the release said.
“He will also focus on community outreach — meeting with business, education and religious leaders from the greater Fayetteville area to better understand the needs and expectations of health care in the community. Bell will also serve as vice president and chief academic officer of Cape Fear Valley Health,” according to the release.
Michael Nagowski, CEO of Cape Fear Valley Health, said in the release that the hospital is “thrilled” by Bell’s appointment.
More: Methodist and Cape Fear Valley Health partner to create Fayetteville's first medical school
“The appointment of Dr. Hershey Bell as the founding dean at the newly established medical school represents a significant milestone in our commitment to advancing medical education and healthcare in our community. Together, we are shaping the future of healthcare and preparing the next generation of medical professionals to make a lasting impact in our community. This is a testament to our shared vision and dedication to excellence in medical education.”
Bell “possesses 30-plus years of knowledge and expertise in the medical field and classroom,” the release said.
Most recently, he served as vice president for Medical Education Program Development at Cape Fear Valley Health. Before then, he was a professor, vice president for Academic Affairs and dean for Developing Initiatives at Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine in Erie, Pennsylvania.
In that role, he oversaw the development of LECOM’s new School of Podiatric Medicine and led LECOM’s Institute for Planning, Accreditation, Assessment, and Research, the release said.
“This is a dream come true in the sense that I am able to work with leaders from both Methodist University and Cape Fear Valley Health to create something that is going to forever change Fayetteville, Cumberland County, and the entire Southeastern region,” Bell said in the release.
Bell received his Doctor of Medicine in his hometown at the University of Toronto, later completing family medicine residency programs at both the University of Toronto and Duke University, the release said. He is also a graduate of Duke University’s National Family Medicine Faculty Development Fellowship program. He also holds a Master of Science in Medical Education.
“My career has involved identifying novel ways to educate future physicians, and this school will be our laboratory for using innovative ideas to produce a different generation of physicians,” said Bell. “This school will have a foundation of patient-centered care that will allow our students to understand the issues families face in this region.”
For more information about Methodist University’s College of Medicine, visit methodist.edu/medicine.
This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: Dean named for new medical school at Methodist University
