[Ivins, Utah – February 23, 2021] Rocky Vista University (RVU) is pleased to announce the appointment of David J. Park, DO, FAAFP, FACOFP, as Vice President and Founding Dean of the proposed Montana College of Osteopathic Medicine, effective July 1, 2021.
Dr. Park currently serves as the Vice President and Dean of Rocky Vista University College of Osteopathic Medicine – Southern Utah (RVUCOM-SU). He joined RVU in 2015 and has led the successful development of the additional location campus in Ivins, Utah. His passion is in teaching and developing future leaders for the osteopathic profession and he has developed the Academic Medicine and Leadership Track at RVUCOM-SU.
After receiving his Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine degree from the New York College of Osteopathic Medicine in 1998, Dr. Park completed residency training at the Mt. Sinai School of Medicine affiliated Family Medicine Residency Program at Jamaica Hospital Medical Center in New York City. He then earned a dual board certification by the American Board of Family Medicine and the America Osteopathic Board of Family Physicians.
Dr. Park remained with the program at Jamaica Hospital Medical Center as full-time faculty for four years teaching residents and medical students before joining the newly established Touro University Nevada College of Osteopathic Medicine in 2005. During his 10-year tenure in Nevada, Dr. Park held numerous leadership roles in the full spectrum of medical education, including course director, department chair, residency program director, assistant dean of GME, various state board positions, and as a member of the Governor’s GME Task Force.
Dr. Park is currently involved in various leadership roles at the national level. He serves as the Vice President of the American College of Osteopathic Family Physicians (ACOFP), the largest specialty organization in the osteopathic profession. He also serves as a site evaluator for the Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation (COCA) and is a member of the Bureau of Osteopathic Education (BOE) for the American Osteopathic Association (AOA). As a graduate of the AOA Health Policy Fellowship program, Dr. Park continues to be active in advocacy for medical education and primary care.
In 2020, Dr. Park was the recipient of the Society of Osteopathic Medical Educators (SOME) Innovation in Medical Education Award from the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine (AACOM) and was also honored as the 2020 W. Douglas Ward, PhD Educator of the Year by the American Osteopathic Foundation (AOF).
“We look forward to Dr. Park’s continued leadership, innovation, and commitment to excellence as we embark upon this new and exciting chapter in our growth,” said Clinton E. Adams, DO, FACHE, President of RVU. “The proposed Montana College of Osteopathic Medicine will be a branch campus of [RVU] with hopes to matriculate its Inaugural Class in July of 2023.”
