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Friday, May 22, 2026 10 a.m.
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Welcome to the Office of Academic Affairs

Portrait of Dr. Scott Rogers and Dr. Natalie Gaughf
Scott M. Rodgers, MD Associate Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs and Natalie W. Gaughf, PhD, ABPP Assistant Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs

The University of Mississippi Medical Center supports six health professions schools on its main campus in Jackson and successfully graduates roughly 1000 health care professionals each year, many of whom choose to stay and practice in the state.

The Office of the Associate Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs oversees the academic enterprise of UMMC. To support our academic mission, each member of our team plays an essential role in our continuing success as we work to identify and promote best practices in health care education, including the following: 

  • Academic planning and strategy
  • Academic policies and procedures
  • Continuing health professions education
  • Faculty development and success
  • Institutional accreditation
  • Quality improvement and innovation in education
  • Resources through the Rowland Medical Library
  • Student services and success

Our goals are to provide quality education to our students and trainees and to promote lifelong learning to our alumni, faculty, and staff.

Thank you for visiting our webpage, and please feel free to browse through our many programs.  

Six Schools. One UMMC.

  1. School of Medicine building exterior.

    1955

    School of Medicine
  2. School of Nursing building exterior.

    1958

    School of Nursing
  3. School of Health Related Professions building exterior.

    1973

    School of Health Related Professions
  4. School of Dentistry building exterior.

    1975

    School of Dentistry
  5. Guyton Research Complex building exterior.

    2001

    School of Graduate Studies in the Health Sciences

  6. School of Population Health exterior building.

    2016

    John D. Bower School of Population Health

Faculty Directory

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Academic Affairs News

Traditional BSN students Valerie Camargo, left, and Audrey Ezell practice clinical skills.

‘Truly life-changing’: Bedford Falls Foundation – DAF’s $2M grant opens door to UMMC School of Nursing for students in need

Monday, August 18, 2025

Over the next three years, the grant will create 167 full scholarships for accelerated and traditional BSN students in Jackson and Oxford. The funding will increase the number of nurses while eliminating the cost of nursing education for scholarship recipients. Read More

New Radiological Sciences student Michelle Zhang, receives her white coat from Dr. Lee Brown, left and SHRP Dean Jay Garner, during orientation week at the school.

Photos: Students get a touch of class as school year begins

Monday, August 18, 2025

During the first weeks of August, students in the various campus schools were welcomed back – or for the first time – to the Medical Center. First-year students in particular enjoyed such activities as Family Day, tours and other back-to-school events – entertaining and informative preludes to the first day of classes. Read More

Latest Articles

The 2029 School of Medicine Class is 170 students strong.

New medical students put on the coat with a ‘kind of deep magic’

Published on Monday, August 11, 2025

 Dr. Molly Ratcliff, second from left, directs the UMMC Student Recruitment Committee meeting while other members including, from left, Dr. Jan Williams of the School of Graduate Studies in the Health Sciences, Andi Cruthirds of the School of Health Related Professions look on.

That’s My Job: Admissions Counselors

Published on Monday, July 28, 2025

 Dr. LouAnn Woodward, vice chancellor for health affairs and dean of the School of Medicine, fourth from right, congratulates the Medical Alumni Awards honorees, from left: Dr. D. Stanley Hartness, Dr. Timothy Folse, Dr. Anthony Petro, Dr. Sharon Douglas, (Woodward), Dr. Charles O'Mara, Dr. James Dustin Gentry and Dr. G. Rodney Meeks.

Ceremony celebrates physicians whose work ‘shines a light everywhere’

Published on Monday, July 28, 2025

 Dr. Giorgio Aru, professor emeritus of surgery and former division chief and surgical director of UMMC’s heart transplant program, and his wife, Jan Aru, started Aru Family Scholarship Endowment to help medical students overcome financial barriers and pursue a future in medicine.

Aru family endowment will support future UMMC medical students

Published on Monday, July 21, 2025

 Celebrating the completion of renovations at the South Oxford Center are, from left, Rep. Josh Hawkins; Sen. Daniel Sparks; Dr. Kristi Reece, assistant dean for the UMMC School of Nursing Oxford instructional site; nursing student Jack Taylor of Corinth; Dr. Tina Martin, dean of the UMMC School of Nursing; Dr. Glenn Boyce, chancellor of the University of Mississippi; Dr. LouAnn Woodward, vice chancellor of health affairs; Dr. Alan Jones, associate vice chancellor for health affairs; and Dr. Natalie Gaughf, assistant vice chancellor for academic affairs.

Ribbon cut on renovations at UMMC School of Nursing in Oxford

Published on Monday, July 14, 2025

 Nursing faculty and UMMC leaders applaud the lifting of the beam to the top of the new School of Nursing, which is set to open next year.

Photos: New School of Nursing reaches pinnacle

Published on Monday, July 14, 2025

 Members of the MD-PhD class are, front from left, Caroline Sit, Shelley Edwards, Madeline Griffin, Madison Hansen and Assata DeMyers; and back from left, Hayley Murphy, Xavier Person, Jack Berman, Meredith Johnson and Garner Fincher.

MD-PhD program grows in numbers, but also in potential and staying power

Published on Monday, July 14, 2025

 Recipients of the 2025 Guyton Professorships are, from left, Dr. Michael Garrett, Dr. Babbette LaMarca, Dr. Gailen Marshall, Dr. David Stec and Dr. Lei Zhang.

Faculty members awarded honor named for medical school legend

Published on Monday, June 30, 2025

Find Us on Social Media

Get news and information you need about the Office of Academic Affairs by connecting with us through our social media community. Our office is active on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.

Learn more about the student activities, events, programs, and services we support.

We look forward to engaging with you!

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Upcoming Academic Calendar Items

SOPH Summer Grading Period

Friday, August 1 at 12:00 a.m

School of Population Health's grading period for the 2025-2026 summer semester is Friday, Aug. 1 – Tuesday, Aug. 19.

Read More

Leadership U Book Club

Tuesday, August 19 at 12:00 p.m

Faculty Focus will host the second Leadership U Book Club on Tuesday, Aug. 19, at noon in J. Lincoln Arceneaux (R136).

Read More
Image of person touching their toes

Adult Chair Yoga Classes

Tuesday, August 19 at 5:30 p.m

Join us at the Center for Integrative Health for a free, one-hour, beginner-level chair yoga class to help build strength and flexibility of the body and mind from a seated posture. Any interested participants can sign up by filling out the online form or calling the CIH at (601) 815-3424, option 1.

Read More
Portrait of Dr. Yonggang Ma

Physiology & Biophysics Seminar

Wednesday, August 20 at 12:00 p.m

Yonggang Ma, PhD, assistant professor in the College of Medicine’s Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Physiology at the University of South Florida, will present the Physiology Seminar, "T Cells and the Thymus in Ischemic Heart Failure and Aging."

Read More

SOD State of the School; General Faculty and Staff Retreats

Thursday, August 21

SGSHS Dissertation Defense

Friday, August 22

SOD Dental Hygiene Last Day to Register or Add a Course

Monday, August 25

SOD Dental Hygiene - Withdrawal/Refund Deadline

Monday, August 25

SGSHS Classes Begin

Monday, August 25

SGSHS PhD Welcome Supper and Lab Coat Ceremony

Monday, August 25

SHRP Last Day to Register or Add a Course (Except DPT and OTD)

Monday, August 25

SHRP Last Day to Withdraw

Monday, August 25

View Full Academic Calendar