HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Adam M. Franks, M.D., has been named vice dean for rural health and chair of the department of family and community health at the Marshall University Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine, announced David Gozal, M.D., M.B.A., Ph.D. (Hon), Marshall University vice president for health affairs and dean of the medical school.  

“Dr. Franks brings a wealth of expertise to these critical leadership roles,” Gozal said. “Primary care is essential for improving health outcomes and ensuring equity across our communities. Dr. Franks’ work over the past two decades to enhance health care for rural populations is commendable.”  

As vice dean for rural health, Franks will concentrate on expanding access to quality health care in underserved areas throughout West Virginia and central Appalachia. He will spearhead collaborations to enhance primary care services and advance medical education programs focused on rural health. Working closely with Marshall University and Marshall Health Network’s population health team, he will implement evidence-based practices to improve patient outcomes and overall wellness in our communities. 

Franks, a professor of family and community health, has served as interim chair of the department since January 2024. In his role as chair, he will oversee the department’s educational, clinical and research activities while exploring innovative, cost-effective methods for family physicians to deliver high-quality care. 

Franks earned his medical degree from Marshall in 1999, where he also completed his family medicine residency. He pursued a fellowship in advanced maternity care and surgical obstetrics at the University of Tennessee in Memphis, Tenn. Since returning to Huntington in 2002 to join the faculty at the Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine, he has held various leadership positions within the department of family and community health, including associate residency director, research director and vice chair for research as well as chief of the medical staff at Cabell Huntington Hospital.  

In 2015, Franks established the Rural Family Medicine Scholars program, which provides structured didactics, rotations, mentoring, research and service opportunities for fourth-year medical students. To date, 74 medical students have completed the program, with nearly half choosing to pursue residencies in West Virginia. 

In addition to his academic and administrative roles, Franks maintains an active clinical practice in comprehensive outpatient family medicine at Marshall Health. His extensive research background includes work on health care delivery, addiction treatment, geriatrics, sports medicine, rural care, COVID-19 testing, and quality improvement. His research has been published in journals such as Academic Medicine, Annals of Family Medicine and the Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine. Franks also serves on the Board of the AAMC’s Council of Faculty and Academic Societies, advocating for excellence in medical education and research. He was appointed to the Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine Alumni Association in 2015 and served as president from 2022 to 2024. 

Marshall University and Marshall Health Network are committed to advancing wellness in rural health and primary care, as well as in the areas of addiction and behavioral health, gerontology and healthy aging, and obesity and diabetes. 

Date Posted: Wednesday, August 14, 2024